The Clown Is Myself

After entering the Castle, David summoned the Guards left behind and had them carry the Werewolf corpses outside, hang them on the Small Town's outer walls as a warning, and notify the refugees to report anyone colluding with Werewolves.

He also issued an announcement: anyone who reported someone would be rewarded with residence in the Small Town, while all other refugees would be expelled once the matter was resolved.

"Little Arro, human desire is like a boulder rolling down a mountain. Once it starts, it is hard to stop—unless... that boulder was already at the foot of the mountain."

"If you want to keep those refugees, you cannot show any desire to retain them at the very beginning. You need to lower their expectations first, make them fearful, make them believe they will have nowhere to go. Then, in the end, 'reluctantly take them in.'"

"At that point, all you need to give them is a place to live, and they will be profoundly grateful. Give them just a little food on top of that, and they will sing praises of your mercy."

As David instructed Little Arro, he issued orders with practiced ease. But Little Arro was already distracted, so how could he have the mind to listen to lessons on managing a Small Town? He merely responded with perfunctory "mm-hmms."

Once David had finished giving his orders and led Little Arro toward the dining hall, Little Arro finally could not help asking, "Father, the 'Udyr' you mentioned... are they the kind from storybooks, strange people in tall pointed hats who ride brooms?"

Little Arro had read every book in the Castle library. Among them were several fairy tale books about wizards, and he had thought nothing of them at the time.

After all, everyone around him had Western features. He had even encountered transmigration himself, so it was hardly strange for this place to have a few stories resembling those of the Western world from his previous life.

Perhaps he had transmigrated into the ancient West?

"Do I not look like one? Not every Udyr dresses so strangely."

So Udyr meant wizard!

David shook out his clothes, brushed a hand through his golden hair, then turned with a dazzling smile. "What sort of character do you think I would be in a fairy tale book, looking like this?"

Watching David put on airs and affect the posture of a nobleman, Little Arro curled his lip and muttered, "Definitely a Vicious King. I'm the poor prince, and I definitely won't eat the poisoned apple you give me!"

David gracefully opened the dining hall doors and smiled. "Then will our poor Prince eat the meat soup prepared for you by the Vicious King?"

During dessert after the meal, David taught Little Arro some knowledge about wizards. He even emphasized one particular ability possessed by Advanced Wizard Apprentices.

Mental Perception, which could roughly sense the emotions of others.

As he introduced this ability, David even glanced at Little Arro intentionally or otherwise.

Little Arro listened to David in silence, recalling the things he had encountered as an infant.

No wonder David could turn invisible. No wonder Ms. Fana could condense wind wings behind her. No wonder they had invited all sorts of teachers to teach him when he was only half a year old. No wonder there had been a Black Cat teacher who could speak...

So that was it!

The system had led me astray!

Martial Arts System?

Could this world still be a sphere?

Would there be a land to the east, one of black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin?

Did so-called martial arts even exist in this world?

How should he choose his path in the future?

The path of wizards began with becoming a wizard apprentice, then a Formal Wizard. Beyond that were even more powerful wizard ranks, including Starlight Wizards who illuminated the world.

It was a broad and shining road.

But among the countless wizards in the world, how many ultimately became the most brilliant Starlight Wizards?

Just like in his previous life, where everyone went to school—how many could ultimately become top-tier scientists?

His cheat was the Martial Arts System. This was his greatest talent, yet it was also a talent ill-suited to the times.

Because the so-called knight Training Method in this world was merely a shallow fragment of wizard cultivation that leaned toward physical training.

It was as though he stood in a primitive world with a top-tier talent for studying, yet there was not A Book in all the world.

Like a bird possessing an extraordinary talent for swimming, yet having no companions of its kind to journey alongside.

If he insisted on walking this path, it would be an incredibly lonely road. With the system, perhaps he could carve out a new path, but that path might not necessarily lead to the summit.

On a path that could lead straight to the summit, would he... be the sole Lucky Ones among tens of millions?

After telling Little Arro how dangerous the wizard enlightenment stage could be, and also explaining the general abilities wizards could possess, David asked him, "Do you still want to study wizard knowledge now?"

Little Arro remained silent for a long time. At last, he slowly raised his head and looked at David with determination. "Of course!"

What if he also possessed powerful wizard talent?

What if the system recognized the cultivation of a Body Refining Wizard, allowing it to enhance him and rapidly increase his strength?

Or perhaps he could feel his way through wizard cultivation methods, compare them with his own training, and soar straight into the sky?

Just because he could not find martial arts manuals did not mean he could stand still and hesitate.

No matter what choice he made, it could not be worse than learning nothing at all.

Even if martial arts manuals already existed in this world, he would still need the strength to protect himself before he could travel the world and seek the path of martial arts.

Alright, alright, alright...

Judging by how dim-witted the system seemed, that possibility was probably very slim.

After lunch, Little Arro washed up, changed into brand-new clothes, and walked to the Full-length Mirror in his bedroom.

Looking at the adorable golden-haired, blue-eyed child in the mirror, Little Arro tugged at his chubby cheeks and murmured, "So the world was not wrong. So—The Clown Is Myself."

Creak, creak!

The carriage traveled along a narrow forest path. Abnormally tall trees surrounded them, their broad crowns thick with leaves that greedily seized the afternoon sunlight, making the path seem somewhat cold and gloomy.

As the carriage passed, faint rustling occasionally came from the bushes on either side. The roars of tigers and leopards echoed from deep within the forest, yet the three fully armed Guards accompanying them paid no heed, chatting loudly and freely.

Little Arro lifted the window and saw a Fiery Red Fox standing upright by the roadside, secretly observing the carriage. The moment it noticed his gaze, it hurriedly darted into the bushes.

Lowering the wooden window, Little Arro quietly said to David beside him, "Father, there seem to be quite a few ferocious Beasts in this forest. Isn't it a little bad for them to be this lax?"

Though Little Arro said Beasts, what he was truly worried about was whether there might be so-called Magic Beasts among them. He simply did not know the word for Magic Beast in this world, so he described them that way.

The Black Cat lying by the carriage door lazily spoke up. "Timid Arro, you needn't worry. They have been going back and forth through this Small Woods and Cleared it every day for the past three years. Now, no Beast dares set foot on this road during the day."

"Oh," Little Arro replied awkwardly.

As the carriage continued onward, and the never-before-mentioned Grandfather drew closer and closer, Little Arro quietly asked the question that had been held in his heart for so long.

"Is Grandfather... easy to get along with?"

Thank you, brother II Yuan II, for the reward.

Thank you, Xingchen, for the recommendation votes for two consecutive days.

Thank you for the recommendation votes from reader 20170324211044467, II Yuan II, Chunwu, reader 20200817190436217, and several other brothers.

Thank you all for your support!

Thank you, reader Mo Ming, for supporting the book with a review!

I wrote several versions yesterday. Some disappeared after revisions. Of the ones I could find, I have already posted one in the comments section. If you have time, please take a look and offer your thoughts.

The other one was blocked after I posted it.