Shallow

Arro understood. Back in his childhood, Monli had sensed Anomaly Space—and had even entered it.

That was far more impressive than Arro at the age of five.

After all, when Arro was five, he had already learned much wizard-specific knowledge. According to the theory of "Ignorance is Bliss," he had relied on wizarding knowledge to strengthen his own ability to sense Anomaly Space.

Monli was different. At the time, he had never even heard of Anomaly Space, perhaps not even of wizards. Yet he had still been able to sense it. That alone was enough to show how outstanding his talent was—at the very least, better than Arro's.

Of course, no matter how good one's talent was, it still required effort afterward.

There were few things in this world that could be achieved through talent alone. Take inborn intelligence—without diligent study and careful cultivation, one could hardly become someone like Einstein or Newton.

"What mysterious place? What inexplicable escape? I think you're just lying!"

Joseph curled his lip and muttered disdainfully, though his eyes flickered faintly with curiosity toward the unknown.

Unlike Joseph, Emily was not so awkward. She looked at Monli in amazement and asked eagerly, "Can you tell me the exact details? I'm truly fascinated by this kind of experience!"

Facing the girl's bright eyes, Monli's gaze drifted unconsciously. A faint blush appeared on his dark face as he stammered in his deep voice, "After I fell to the bottom of the well, I suddenly realized the whole world had turned upside down. Somehow, I actually flew out through the mouth of the well."

"Then I saw the sky suddenly turn dark, and everything around me became terribly dilapidated..."

At first, Arro had listened with great interest, but a moment later, he suddenly came to his senses.

What am I doing?

Ignorance is Bliss. The more one knew, the easier it was to make contact.

Listening to mysterious knowledge as a group?

It was like a gathering of cultists devoted to an evil god. When their collective thoughts became linked and produced a Mental Strength resonance, it became easier to heighten their perception of another world.

Powerful Mental Strength already made it easier to observe other worlds, and now he was much stronger than he had been at five.

So—because he had not enjoyed the experience properly at five, did he want to go adventuring now?

"Wait!"

Arro immediately cut Monli off. "Don't say any more!"

"What now?" Joseph looked at Arro with an unfriendly expression.

Boys naturally loved strange adventures like this. On top of that, Arro had interrupted halfway through. It was like listening to a storyteller, reaching the most suspenseful part, only for him to suddenly say, "If you wish to know what happens next, listen to the next installment." Even the most even-tempered person would feel a few ripples of irritation.

Arro asked in confusion, "Haven't you heard of Ignorance is Bliss?"

Knowing the theory itself would deepen one's connection to another world.

For instance, after hearing an account of travels in another world, one might truly treat it as nothing more than a story if one did not know this theory. But after learning it, the chances of stumbling into such a place would greatly increase.

Yet when weighing two harms, one chose the lesser. Since they were preparing to enter the wizarding world, how could they not even understand this theory?

If someone wanted to harm them and placed a book about an extremely dangerous Anomaly Space before them, wouldn't they be dead in minutes?

Emily looked at Arro in confusion. "What is Ignorance is Bliss?"

They did not know?

Seeing the bewildered expressions on all three faces, Arro could not help feeling a trace of helplessness.

Wasn't this common knowledge?

Explain it to them?

Explaining required recollection, and describing it in words inherently reinforced memories of that knowledge. Arro was neither inside the Castle filled with wizard arrays nor beside a Formal Wizard. He had no desire to take such a risk.

Besides, if he did not let them know now, they might be a little less likely to encounter danger.

"Forget it. Once you pass the test and enter the academy to begin learning, you'll know these things."

"For now, you only need to know not to listen to these stories anymore!"

Like a male peacock spreading its tail, boys always liked to show off their courage before beautiful girls.

Monli had been recounting his own glorious deeds, enjoying the beautiful girl's admiring gaze and the sight of several noble youths he had once found impossible to approach quietly listening to him.

Now that Arro had interrupted him, seemingly wanting to speak but holding back, how could he possibly accept it willingly?

Monli said resentfully, "But my parents heard it too. My parents told other people in the village as well, and later even Baron heard it. None of them had any problems."

Hearing Monli's words, Joseph immediately felt that he had a point. He looked at Arro contemptuously. "Exactly! Who are you trying to scare? You put on some strange clothes and think you're really a wizard?"

With the thought that saving even one was worth it, Arro tentatively asked the girl, "Would you like to go rest together? The test is tomorrow. You probably want to be in good Mental State to deal with it, right?"

Emily had still been hesitating, but upon hearing Arro's words, she seemed to think of something. Her face turned bright red, and she hurriedly nodded as she stood. "That's Right. Tomorrow's test should come first!"

Though the girl acted thus, boys in their early teens hardly understood the weight of things. Monli's story was like a tantalizing feast, while Arro's earlier words were like exquisite seasoning sprinkled over it. Instead, they only made the simple-minded Joseph want even more to hear what came next.

Faced with Joseph's urging, Monli found it hard to refuse. He could only raise his voice helplessly, hoping to win the beautiful girl back that way.

Arro hurriedly quickened his pace, escaping the reach of those voices as soon as possible. At the same time, a saying inexplicably came to mind.

Good words could not persuade a ghost bent on dying; mercy could not save one who cut off his own path!

Shook his head, Arro could not help laughing at himself.

What am I thinking? Do I really take myself for a bodhisattva come to save the world?

Besides, as Monli had said.

Even if they listened, it would merely increase the possibility of entering.

If their Mental Strength was sufficient, they could pass tomorrow's assessment before ever entering one.

And if their Mental Strength was insufficient, there was naturally no need to worry further.

Maintaining her ladylike manners, Emily took quick little steps and hurried to Arro's side.

Startled awake by the Footsteps, Arro turned back and said apologetically, "I'm very sorry for my earlier discourtesy. I did not wait for you, beautiful Lady."

Emily covered her mouth and chuckled. "It's all right. Handsome princes always receive more courtesy."

"You flatter me," Arro said. Not wanting to waste words on this shallow Girl, he changed the subject. "I want to go rest. Do you know where my room is? If not, I may need to find a servant and ask."

"That's wonderful! Your room is right next to mine!" Emily's face lit up with delight.

What rotten luck!

"Beautiful Lady, could I trouble you to lead the way?"

After trying every possible means to keep that strange little girl, who was interested in his room, outside the door, Arro exhaustedly flung himself onto the bed.

The bed naturally did not live up to the room's extravagant name, but at least it was fairly clean. Arro trained often, and when he was too tired, it was not as if he had never slept on the ground before. He did not mind it much.

The Black Cat jumped onto the bed and circled Arro's head with leisurely Footsteps, as though Look At something.

Arro lifted his head and complained weakly, "Teacher Gemma, if you have something to say, just say it. Stop circling me. You're making me dizzy."

The Black Cat tilted its head at Arro, its deep vertical pupils full of amusement. "I have too many questions to ask you. But because there are so many, I don't even know where to begin."

Arro pushed himself up and gazed idly at the bright stars beyond the balcony. "Don't ask about trivial matters. Like... that little girl just now."

The Black Cat took two steps and sat beside Arro, her attitude becoming much more serious. "Fine. Then let me ask you this: why didn't you keep listening? You already possess a certain amount of power now, don't you? Why are you still afraid of Anomaly Space? So afraid that you do not even dare listen?"

"I thought Timid Arro had become reckless. I never expected reckless Arro to still be so timid."

Arro smiled faintly and turned to her. "Teacher Gemma, timid or reckless—those are merely labels you have placed on me."

"In truth, I have always been myself. I have never changed."

"One must know when to advance and when to retreat. Perhaps in your eyes, challenging a Formal Wizard to a fight was reckless, but you should know that she... was my mother."

"Revering the strong does not mean revering one's mother because she is strong. To any child, their mother is innately strong."

"I need to understand my own strengths and weaknesses."

"My mother, a Formal Wizard, was the best measuring standard I could have."

"As for being timid..."

"Teacher Gemma, when one knows there is danger of unknown depth ahead and deliberately avoids it, that is not timidity. It is a sign of reason."

"You cannot avoid it forever, Arro. Your own strength will determine the level of danger you encounter." The Black Cat looked up at Arro. "You should have learned about Anomaly Space. Every Anomaly Space is like an invisible door."

"The weak cannot sense it; the strong cannot enter it."

"An Anomaly Space that an ordinary person can enter and leave safely may be your best Training Ground."

Arro said helplessly, "Teacher Gemma, you truly think too highly of me, and too little of Anomaly Space."

"The strength of a space does not entirely represent the strength of its creatures. Like our world, it has Starlight Wizards whose brilliance illuminates the world, and worms as weak as ants."

"Besides, I am merely 'bloated with false strength' right now. Five uninterrupted years of Mental Strength training have made my Mental Strength far surpass that of ordinary people, yet I do not know how to use this power at all."

"If I truly entered Anomaly Space, that 'bloated' power might attract enemies capable of matching it, and such enemies would be difficult for me to resist in my current state."

"Teacher Gemma, what matters most to me now is passing the assessment and going to Wizard Academy to study. Everything else has nothing to do with me."

Thanks to reader Legendary God for the reward.

Thanks to myself for the monthly vote ^_^~

Thanks to Wu Haohan for the recommendation vote.

Thanks to Huayue Yi and Silent Elder Brother for once again supporting me with recommendation votes!

After Twelve Points, it will be a new week.

I humbly ask everyone to send a few recommendation votes then. I want to see whether I can make it onto the New Star Overall Ranking.

Thank you in advance for your support!

(ˊˋ)*