Kongsha wasn't a kind person. Everything she did for Thor came at a price.
Kongsha chuckled. "What are you afraid of? You drank the potion without a fuss last time."
Last time, Thor had still been a servant. Faced with the threat of death, he'd been powerless to fight back.
This time, however, the first test was still three months away.
Thor now had some idea of how to grow stronger, so he naturally didn't want to stake his future on a potion with unknown side effects.
"Taking this potion for a short time won't cause any problems. But if you take it for a long time, it'll drain your potential and consume your life force. Once it's all gone, you'll die."
Kongsha changed tack. "But if you make an effort and work hard, you might become a Level 2 Apprentice before your potential runs out. Then you won't need to force your Magic Power higher. You can pursue achievements through Witchcraft research instead, and still pass the tests every six months."
She lifted the little bottle and gave it a shake. The transparent liquid sloshed inside, full of temptation.
"Drain my potential." Thor stared at the potion and sighed softly. "If I take it for a long time, will I never be able to become an Official Wizard?"
"Ha!" Kongsha nearly laughed herself to death at what she'd heard. "You think awfully highly of yourself! Even I can't be sure I'll advance to Official Wizard."
She hadn't said it outright, but she had essentially confirmed Thor's suspicion.
"I'm sorry, Senior Sister Kongsha, but I can't take this potion." Thor lowered his head, but his voice was firm.
Kongsha's smile vanished. She stood and looked down at the top of Thor's head.
Five or six eyeballs appeared inside the glass covering half her skull. They pressed against the glass, glaring viciously at Thor.
Thor didn't look up, but he could still feel the immense pressure and fear.
When his face had gone pale and his body had begun to tremble, Kongsha chuckled and withdrew the eyes.
"You think three months is a long time? Since you don't want it, I won't force you. But when you regret it and come begging me, it won't be as simple as this."
With that, Kongsha swayed around Thor and left the dormitory.
Only after a long while did Thor turn to look at the tightly shut door. He raised a hand and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Sweat streamed down his face. When he wiped it, it gathered into droplets and slid past the corner of his eye.
It was terrifying, but Thor had to refuse Kongsha's potion.
First, he couldn't let himself become Kongsha's puppet and stake his life on her kindness.
Second, as a transmigrator with the Hardcover Book, he couldn't be satisfied with a future as a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice.
The door to wizardry had opened a crack for him. Even a glimpse of what lay beyond was enough to make Thor yearn for it.
"Was I born with terrible luck? Why do I keep running into one danger after another? It's so hard to survive in this world!"
There was Sid in front of him, Kongsha behind him, and Mark's attitude was unclear.
Above him was Kazi, below him was Brown, and Duke was lurking nearby with bad intentions.
Was there no good person in this Wizard Tower?
Couldn't he just live like an ordinary apprentice, studying quietly without running into an enemy at every turn?
The scare had left Thor's hands and feet weak. He managed to stagger a couple of steps, then let himself fall onto the bed.
"Since I refused Kongsha, I'll have to find a way to grow stronger on my own for now."
Thor covered his eyes with his left hand. The cold, hard bone stung his eyelids.
"Damn it, I might as well throw caution to the wind and stop being human! I've got class tomorrow... Time to sleep!"
With only half a night's sleep and nightmares that came and went, Thor barely rested.
Still, he got up early and, dark circles under his eyes, found George working on the fourth floor before class.
George was thrilled to see Thor. He was due to sweep the corridors before dawn the next day. Nothing might happen, but there was no question that not having to go was better.
As long as Thor showed that he valued George, the other servants wouldn't dare assign him dangerous jobs.
"Sir, have you come to take me on as your personal servant?" George's eyes were shining.
"Not yet."
George was still a child, and disappointment immediately crossed his face. But he quickly rallied. "I understand, sir. George will always look forward to serving you!"
Thor got down to business. "Has anyone come looking for Brown these past few days?"
George shook his head. "Everyone spends their breaks together, and he's always there then. I don't know about at night."
Thor thought it over. Perhaps the person who'd told Brown to target him hadn't shown up yet.
He tried another angle. "What about before? After I was injured, did you see a blond young man, around eighteen or nineteen, come looking for Brown?"
Thor described Sid, the Level 2 Apprentice.
George's mouth fell open.
Seeing his expression, Thor immediately pressed him. "Have you seen him?"
George stammered, "S-Sir, I haven't seen him come looking for Brown... but, but isn't that the person you said hit you with a book and... injured you?"
Thor's eyes widened.
His fragmentary memories had never told him who had killed the body's original owner. But after George's reminder, scenes suddenly flashed through Thor's mind.
The fear sealed away by death erupted all at once.
A bright room that still sent chills down one's spine.
Rows upon rows of towering bookshelves.
A blond young man with a strange expression, repeatedly pulling books from the shelves and putting them back.
A few indistinct murmurs about a "Diary."
The furious expression when the young man turned and saw him.
A thick Hardcover Book, a full palm's width, hurled at him without a second thought.
Dizziness, mingled with intense fear and a splitting headache.
The deathly silence and darkness...
Thor swayed, stunned.
What surprised him wasn't that he'd discovered Sid had once killed "him." It was the Hardcover Book.
It was the very same Hardcover Book floating above his left shoulder!
Thor had always thought the Hardcover Book was a perk of his transmigration, a cheat, a golden finger.
He'd never imagined it was something that had already existed in this world!
He resisted the urge to glance at his left shoulder.
Then he remembered the word "Diary" he'd heard Sid say, as well as the familiar format that appeared before the Hardcover Book displayed its text...
Was the thing Sid had been looking for the Hardcover Book he'd casually thrown at him?
Thor sneered.
He wondered if Sid had realized it.
If Sid discovered that the Hardcover Book was what he'd been searching for, then there would be a reason for all the attempts on Thor's life these past few days.
Thor didn't know how to separate himself from the Hardcover Book, and he certainly couldn't give it up.
"Then it's a fight to the death," he thought. To his surprise, he no longer felt all that afraid.
He looked up and saw George watching him anxiously. Thor softened his expression. "All right, you can go back. Once I'm settled, I'll transfer you to work for me."
George was delighted now. With Thor's promise, he could look forward to several more years of life.
After leaving the overjoyed George, Thor made a point of speaking to the Butler as well.
The Butler had been extremely respectful when he saw Thor, and readily agreed not to assign George any dangerous jobs.
Only then did Thor hurry to gather his things and head for the East Tower.
The first class today was Basic Cognition of All Things.
Thor arrived late, but Keli had already saved him a seat.
"You finally made it. If you'd taken any longer, I would've thought something had happened to you too." Keli rubbed her chin. "Though I guess that's unlikely."
"To me too? Who did something happen to?"
Was someone even unluckier than he was?
Keli gave him a name, but Thor had never heard of the person.
"He went mad." Keli saw that Thor didn't look as panicked as the others. "Why aren't you surprised at all?"
"I've already seen how terrifying this place is. I just didn't think someone would go mad after only one day," Thor said quietly.
If Big Pink hadn't shown up last night, Thor would probably have gone mad too.
Before you continue