After the roundtable meeting ended, the heavy obsidian doors slowly swung open.
Makley walked out of the meeting room, deep in thought, his steps heavy.
"Oh, Mr. Kane."
A slightly shrill female voice came from the side.
Lavia—the female wizard who had examined the corpse last time—was fanning herself with an exquisite elven fan, looking at him with an ambiguous smile.
"The new policy really favors people like you who are 'good at cultivating students.'"
She put particular emphasis on the word "good," making her sarcasm unmistakable.
Bolton, the male wizard beside her, immediately joined in with a laugh, pushing up the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose.
"Lavia, aren't you teasing our Lord Makley?"
"Everyone knows that over the years, Lord Makley has cultivated five outstanding students."
"It's just that... four of them went off to study under someone else."
"Now all he has left is Violet Star."
At those words, the other wizards who had yet to leave couldn't help chuckling under their breath.
Their laughter was full of schadenfreude and contempt.
Although Makley was a Level Seven Official Wizard, his rank was by no means low.
But everyone knew that his power came from a ritual—before dying, his father had forcibly instilled his knowledge and Mana into him.
That had lifted him from a Level Five apprentice to his current rank in a single leap, but it had also locked in his ceiling for good.
For the rest of his life, he could only ever be a Level Seven wizard, with no chance of further advancement.
That was why, amid this brutal storm of reform, others dared to treat him like an easy target, even though he was a direct member of the Kane Family.
As Makley listened to their grating laughter, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. His hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched into a tight fist.
But there was nothing he could do.
Lavia and Bolton were the mainstays of the research faction in the Cain Wizard Tower. Both their names had appeared among the tower's core achievements in each of the past two years.
That was their confidence.
Just as the wizards were leaving in twos and threes, Moke, the Grand Wizard in the meeting room, suddenly spoke.
"Makley, wait a moment."
Makley took a deep breath, composed himself, and respectfully turned back into the meeting room.
Only the two of them remained by the huge round table.
Moke looked at his great-grandson, who had never wanted to become a wizard and had only dreamed of being a painter, and a complex sigh flickered in his eyes.
"Things in the tower aren't what they used to be."
"The tower no longer has spare resources to keep supporting an idler who produces nothing."
The old man's voice was low and imposing.
"I'd advise you to step down of your own accord."
"If you do it now, you can still get an easy post in the logistics department and live out the rest of your life in peace."
"That way, you won't tarnish the family's honor by being forcibly expelled in the end."
Makley raised his head and looked straight at the Grand Wizard who held the power of life and death.
For the first time, there was no trace of his usual hesitation or avoidance in his eyes.
"Great-grandfather."
Makley spoke respectfully, but his tone was unusually firm.
"The more dangerous things get, the less I want to give up."
"I've already enjoyed too much of the family's glory and protection. I can't run away like a coward now that the Wizard Tower is in trouble."
"My abilities and talent really aren't much, but I think... I'm good at recognizing talent."
Moke was taken aback, seemingly surprised that his usually weak-willed great-grandson would say something like that.
He fell silent for a moment, his fingers gently tapping the dragon-bone table.
"Very well."
"Since you're determined, I'll give you one chance."
"When the results are finalized next month, you must have at least one sufficiently outstanding talent pass the comprehensive assessment."
"If you can't do that, don't blame me for showing no mercy."
Makley bowed deeply.
"Understood."
After leaving the meeting room on the top floor, Makley saw a male and a female wizard at a corner of the hallway.
The two looked to be around forty. They wore neatly tailored wizard robes, with no hats, and had a capable, professional air about them.
The tall male wizard was named Thane. He was balding, with paper-pale skin, and specialized in spirit studies. He was a Level Five Official Wizard.
The female wizard beside him was slightly plump, with her hair braided into a thick plait. Her name was Sara, and she specialized in alchemy. She was a Level Four Official Wizard.
These two were the collaborators Makley had mentioned to Tylen before.
Makley forced a smile and walked over to greet them.
"Thane, Sara, what are your plans from here?"
The two exchanged a glance, awkwardness and resolve flickering in their eyes.
Thane cut him off, his tone stiff.
"Makley, things are more serious than we expected."
"Let's put our collaboration on hold for now."
Sara nodded along, without even looking Makley in the eye.
"Right. I'll be very busy from now on. I have to help my students prepare for the exams and work on a new research topic."
"I really won't have time to help you."
After saying that, the two hurriedly bowed as if they were avoiding a plague and quickly walked away.
Makley stood where he was, watching them leave without saying a word.
He understood perfectly well what they meant.
When the tree fell, the monkeys scattered; when the wall crumbled, everyone pushed.
In this Wizard Tower, where self-interest came first, no one wanted to waste their bet on a "useless" man who was about to lose power.
Makley looked at the gleaming floor of the hallway, his expression unchanged.
He had always been this way. He rarely fought for anything, and seldom argued when problems arose.
His dream had been to become a painter close to nature, to escape the world and lose himself in mountains and rivers.
But his father's dying obsession had forced him onto this path called "wizardry."
He walked on in silence, clenching his fist until his nails dug deep into his palm.
"I may be useless..."
"But that doesn't mean my judgment is useless too!"
"And it doesn't mean my students are useless!"
Ten in the morning.
Makley summoned all the lower-level apprentices currently under his name.
In the wide, brightly lit lecture hall, the apprentices, who rarely saw one another, sat uneasily in their seats.
There were 130 apprentices in total.
They included 50 first-years, 41 second-years, 22 third-years, 15 fourth-years, and just 2 fifth-years who were about to graduate.
Tylen sat casually in his chair, looking around.
"Forty-seven Level Zero apprentices, 32 Level One apprentices, 18 Level Two apprentices, 16 Level Three apprentices, 15 Level Four apprentices, and one Level Five apprentice."
"Among the 50 new students who enrolled with me six months ago, only two of us, myself included, have become Level One apprentices."
The atmosphere in the lecture hall was sharply divided.
A crowd of lower-level apprentices clustered around the only Level Five apprentice, treating him like the center of attention.
He was a medium-built young man with blond hair combed into a side part and a smug, self-satisfied look on his face: Thomas.
"Big Brother Thomas, do you know what's on the exam?"
"Big Brother Thomas, which subject do you think suits me? I'm usually good at meditation and runes."
"Big Brother Thomas, what does our mentor like?"
Thomas clearly enjoyed all the flattery.
He crossed one leg over the other and spoke at length.
"This exam is meant to deal with the new situation."
"As long as you follow the right big brother and do what I say, you'll definitely get your share in the future."
"Those who pass the exam will become our teacher's right-hand men! When the time comes, I'll be able to help you get ahead, too."
At that, the Level Zero apprentices grew visibly excited, as if they could already see a bright future ahead.
The Level One apprentices with a little more experience, meanwhile, contemplated the situation, calculation flickering in their eyes.
The reforms had come too suddenly. Everyone wanted to seize this opportunity, but they were as lost as headless flies, with no idea where to start.
Just then,
the steady, powerful clack of leather shoes against the floor rang out.
The lecture hall fell silent at once, and everyone hurried back to their seats.
Makley pushed open the door, his black robes billowing behind him.
"Stand!"
Thomas shouted first and bowed respectfully.
The others stood as well and called out in unison, "Greetings, Mentor!"
Makley gave a flat "Mm," walked to the lectern, and swept his gaze across the room.
"You should all know the news by now."
"This exam could change the course of your lives. I hope you'll think carefully when choosing a subject and make sure to choose one you're good at."
"The written exams will be separated by year."
"Thomas, Ike, Lisa."
Makley called out three names.
Apart from Thomas, the other two were the best among the Level Four apprentices.
"You've been in the Wizard Tower for four or five years. You know a lot, and your knowledge is solid."
"Over the next few days, help your juniors answer their questions."
The three immediately stood up, pride and confidence written all over their faces, and replied loudly,
"Understood, Mentor!"
Makley nodded, then picked up a piece of chalk and turned to write line after line on the blackboard.
"Now, I'll go over what may be covered in the upcoming exams."
For the next hour,
most of the students there received their first close, face-to-face instruction from Makley, a Level Seven Official Wizard.
Though the lesson only covered the likely scope of the exams and didn't touch on any profound magical principles,
for these lower-level apprentices, who usually had to study on their own, it was already an immense blessing.
Everyone took notes as fast as they could, afraid of missing even a single word.
An hour later,
Makley put down the chalk and dusted his hands.
"That's all for today."
He still had to teach the rich kids who had paid hefty tuition fees, a mandatory assignment given to him by the tower.
As soon as their mentor left, the lecture hall erupted into a commotion.
The remaining apprentices crowded around Thomas and the other upper-year students, chattering away in hopes of getting more inside information.
Tylenzer left calmly and continued with his cultivation.
7:00 p.m.
The Morgue.
Flap-flap...
The familiar sound of Crow's wings beating rang out at the window.
Tylen, seated at his desk studying runes, let the corners of his mouth rise slightly and thought to himself,
Having a mentor pay special attention to me feels so reassuring!
Before you continue