Truth and the Wizarding World

Evening.

Two days after receiving tutoring from Patti Isa, Locke bade Patti farewell, left the student dormitory, and headed for the residence of Mr. Tungus, the Academy's dean.

At this Academy, the dean and professors each had their own private suites, and Aurelian Academy also paid them generous monthly salaries.

After all, the tuition at this Academy was exorbitant.

But Locke had barely taken a few steps down the Academy corridor when he saw Angel approaching him, dressed in a linen undershirt and a white woolen dress.

Angel looked exhausted. Heavy dark circles hung beneath her eyes, as though she had not slept properly for several days and nights.

Locke recognized that expression. Wasn't that exactly how the original owner had looked while working for Mr. Alder, the history professor?

When Angel saw Locke, she said in a displeased tone, "Professor Alder has summoned me again to tell you to go work for him."

"Locke, I don't understand why you refuse to go. Don't you know that as long as we maintain a good relationship with the professors, we can remain at this Academy for the time being?"

Changing tactics, Angel adopted a coaxing tone. "Locke, Mr. Alder has hinted to me several times that as long as we continue working for him, we can stay here."

"Not just me. Several other students from Anjou are working for the professor too. You know the Academy has notified us several times to settle this semester's tuition as soon as possible, right?"

"Locke, don't jeopardize all our livelihoods because of yourself, okay? Besides, the professor means well."

Locke knew about it. The letters urging him to pay his tuition and course fees had already been delivered to his dormitory.

That was why he needed to hurry to Dean Tungus. After all, history class was tomorrow.

Locke glanced at Angel, who had been following him the whole time. To keep her from pestering him, he simply pointed at his workbook. "I'm working for Dean Tungus now."

Angel froze for a moment, then stopped where she was and did not follow Locke.

Watching the direction Locke had gone, she stamped her foot resentfully. "What a weirdo. He could obviously get on Professor Alder's good side just by going to work."

"Then he could receive Professor Alder's protection and stay at this Academy."

"I hope Professor Alder won't be angry over this."

Meanwhile, Locke quickened his pace toward Professor Tungus's residence, worried that Professor Alder might stop him midway.

Though the possibility was low.

For some reason, Professor Alder seemed to have suddenly set his sights on him. Over the past few days, he had repeatedly sent Angel to probe him, trying to invite him back to work again.

Before long, Locke arrived at Dean Tungus's residence. He knocked on the door, notified the doorman, and after waiting ten minutes, was granted permission to enter.

Locke followed the doorman inside Dean Tungus's residence. Dean Tungus possessed one of the most luxurious suites in the Academy, lavishly decorated in a Baroque style like a royal palace.

Paintings by renowned artists from the seven nations of the Corfu Continent hung along both sides of the corridor.

At the end of the corridor was the reception room, which was simple and bright, with a long table, two chairs, and cups of water placed on the wooden tabletop.

Dean Tungus, dressed in a gray casual outfit, was already seated in one of the chairs. "Sit, Locke Augustine."

"I had expected you to come, but I did not expect you to finish the assignment I gave you in only two days."

After thinking for a moment, Locke decided to honestly tell the truth. There was no point in lying. "Dean, I was only able to complete the assignment because Miss Patti tutored me."

Dean Tungus chuckled. "I know."

"Patti is a member of a secret society I lead, and she has already told me everything. But she merely taught you. You were the one who learned those points of knowledge, and you were also the one who completed the assignment in two days."

Dean Tungus picked up the workbook and flipped through it briefly. "Hmm. The accuracy rate is higher than last time."

"Not bad."

"You may leave now, Mr. Locke."

Locke froze. He had not expected things to develop this way.

Had he guessed wrong?

Mr. Tungus said, "What is it, Locke? I merely gave you an ordinary assignment, and you completed it and brought it to me."

"That is all."

"I will grade this assignment. You may leave."

Locke frowned, his heart racing, but he quickly calmed down.

If that was the case, then he really had guessed something wrong. Perhaps he had misunderstood some part of it, or perhaps the Outstanding Graduate slots had nothing to do with language courses at all.

But history class was tomorrow.

That would make things difficult.

Locke sighed softly. Without forgetting his manners, he gave Dean Tungus the respectful bow of a student to a professor. "Sorry to disturb you, Professor Tungus."

He turned to leave.

As he reached the entrance to the reception room, Dean Tungus suddenly asked, "But I would like to ask you something, Locke Augustine. You never used to attend class seriously, so why were you able to finish an in-class assignment in one day, then complete the special assignment I gave you in only two and a half days?"

"And what made you suddenly want to do this?"

Locke's heart skipped a beat. He turned back to Dean Tungus. "Dean, you know my current situation. I heard that the Academy has something special called Outstanding Graduates, so I want to become one."

"Based on my deductions, I believed that Outstanding Graduate slots were related to language courses."

Dean Tungus nodded. "I see. I thought someone had told you some special information, but it seems I was mistaken."

"You are smarter than I thought."

"As expected of someone who could learn an ancient language so quickly."

Dean Tungus said, "Locke, the Outstanding Graduates you mentioned are indeed related to language courses."

"The reason I gave you assignments and tested you was also related to this. The ancient language I teach is extremely complex. Someone without aptitude might barely keep up through hard work, but it would be a great struggle, and they could only hover around the passing line."

"Long ago, someone discovered that the better a person's aptitude, the faster they could learn these ancient languages containing special information."

Dean Tungus said, "Testing aptitude requires resources."

"The purpose of establishing this Academy was also to find people with aptitude on Corfu Island."

"So, we need to offer courses to initially select those who may possess aptitude, then test them."

Dean Tungus gave Locke a puzzled look. "You should not have been able to understand my classes at all before. You should not have had aptitude. But there are special cases, where someone reaches a certain age and suddenly awakens their aptitude."

"That is why Aurelian Academy has a seven-year program. As long as one is not older than twenty-two, there is still a chance of having aptitude."

Locke was somewhat bewildered. "Dean Tungus, what aptitude? And what do you mean by Corfu Island? Isn't it the Corfu Continent?"

By his understanding, the Corfu Continent covered roughly two-thirds the area of Eurasia in his previous life. That was already the scale of a continent.

That was why Locke had believed the seven nations were the main powers of this world.

Aurelian Academy was the greatest Academy on this continent.

Dean Tungus clasped his hands and looked at Locke with a scrutinizing gaze. "As I said, the Corfu Continent's true name is Corfu Island, because this entire landmass is merely a small island in the Endless Mysterious Sea."

"Its population is only several tens of millions, insignificant, and there are not many mystical resources here."

"Professor Alder and I are not natives of this island either."

"Aurelian Academy is not some greatest Academy. It is merely a subordinate academy of the true university—Verdantia University—an institution for selecting new students for Verdantia University."

Dean Tungus said, "Since you were able to complete my assignment in such a short time, it means you certainly possess that aptitude."

"I mean the aptitude to become a great wizard and pursue the path of truth."

"That is the truth behind the Outstanding Graduate slots."

"You no longer need to go work for Mr. Alder, Locke."

Locke raised his brows. He now realized that he had apparently underestimated this world far too much.

He had never expected that the seven nations and the Corfu Continent were merely an insignificant corner of this world.

The struggles between knights, nobles, and kings were as laughable as children's games in the eyes of these wizards. That was why the lofty wizards could not even be bothered to interfere, merely establishing an Aurelian Academy here to select people with magical aptitude.

Yet in the next instant, excitement rose in Locke's heart.

Perhaps this was for the best.

If he could enter the world of wizards and magic, the Horadric Cube would have far more room to shine.

He could achieve even greater things.

Almost immediately, Locke changed his goal. Rather than remaining at Aurelian Academy, he wanted to leave Aurelian Academy and enter the real world beyond Corfu Island that Dean Tungus had described.

But first, it seemed he needed to undergo a wizard aptitude test.

Although Dean Tungus was somewhat surprised that Locke had accepted this so quickly despite his initial shock, he did not continue explaining. Instead, he said, "Locke, I need a drop of your blood."

"Then you must drink an [Elemental Emerald Potion] mixed with your blood. You and I will see your specific talents."

"This potion is very expensive, but at least fifty years ago in the Wizarding World, it was still one of the relatively effective testing methods."

Locke asked, "Dean, fifty years ago? Does Aurelian Academy rarely contact the Wizarding World?"

Dean Tungus glanced at Locke. "The Endless Mysterious Sea is extremely dangerous. Beyond the coastal waters around Corfu Island, the sea is filled with danger. Even Formal Wizards cannot cross it, much less people like us."

"My most recent contact with the Wizarding World was fifty years ago. That was when I first came to the Corfu Continent. Since then, I have never been able to return..."

A trace of gloom flashed across Dean Tungus's face. "Of course, that was also my own choice."

"Aurelian Academy is already a very safe and comfortable place."

"The Wizarding World is crueler than every place you have ever seen. Wizard Apprentices who cannot survive there can only go to some remote corner, live out the rest of their lives, and make their final contribution to the wizard organization they belong to."