Arrival at the Manor

After talking with Quake, Charles finally realized just how strong he was.

He had always kept to himself. If he was not studying in Loran's classes, he was meditating, or, failing that, going into the sewers to hunt goblins.

Charles fought goblins, killing two or three hundred of them every month. That alone made him look like someone not to be trifled with.

Moreover, Charles had never had the chance to clash with other apprentices. He only knew that he had mastered many spells, but not that others knew so few.

No wonder Loran had brought him along.

At the apprentice stage, the difference between first rank and third rank lay in one's reserves of magic power and the accumulation of spiritual power.

Everyone used zero-ring spells. A first-rank wizard apprentice could simply pour a little more magic power into the same zero-ring spell.

But the ceiling of zero-ring spells was right there. No matter how strong they were, they could not become overwhelmingly powerful.

At this point, it came down to the number of spells one had mastered and how many times one's magic power could support casting them.

After revealing a little of his strength, Quake's attitude toward Charles improved somewhat.

The gap between first-rank and second-rank wizard apprentices was not so vast that it amounted to crushing superiority.

If a second-rank apprentice fought well, killing a first-rank apprentice before exhausting their magic power was no great problem.

The ship traveled along the great river for another month or so, even turning into a tributary midway through the journey.

After disembarking at a port, they switched to carriages and traveled for another half a month before finally reaching their destination.

The carriage came to a stop before a luxurious manor. Charles stepped out and stretched.

The journey had truly been exhausting.

The manor stood on the outskirts of a city, rather than within the city itself.

There was even a small leisure castle within the manor.

Standing atop the carriage, Loran surveyed the surroundings and nodded slightly. "Not bad. This location will do!"

"You should settle in as quickly as possible."

Loran said to a knight, "Have the city lord come see me."

"Yes, my lord!"

Charles found a room in the manor, set down his simple luggage, and considered himself settled.

This manor was not the least bit inferior to the count's estate where he had once lived.

There were more than a hundred attendants and maids within the manor. They had clearly been arranged by the locals to serve Loran and her group.

That evening, a banquet was held in the castle.

Those attending were all either wealthy or influential figures from the nearby cities.

This was the Wizard Continent, unlike Charles's hometown.

The nobles here needed to have at least a wizard apprentice in their families.

Many of them had failed to become wizards at Isata, so they had left Isata and settled in the cities.

Like Joseph, Charles and Jody's classmate.

He came from such a family. His grandfather was a first-rank wizard apprentice—grandfather earned the money, grandson spent it.

His grandfather had failed to become a wizard, but hoped that one of his descendants could.

If Joseph also had no chance, then in another ten or twenty years, he would return home, marry, have children, and place his hopes on the next generation.

There were six or seven such small wizard-apprentice families in this city.

Of course, the banquet was not attended solely by members of wizard-apprentice families. There were also ordinary wealthy merchant families.

Most were young men and women, all quite good-looking.

The handsome young men set their sights on Loran and Jody.

If they happened to catch a wizard's eye, perhaps they might gain some benefit.

But there were even more beauties of every shape and size, each one burning with desire, their gazes varied.

Their eyes were fixed on male wizard apprentices like Quake and Charles.

They had come tonight to climb into Charles and the others' beds. Even one night would be enough.

Before coming, they had all taken medicine to increase their chances of conceiving, hoping to strike true in one shot.

They and their families all shared the same thought.

It did not matter if they themselves lacked the talent to become wizards. They could simply bear a talented child with Charles and the others.

However, the banquet had not yet officially begun.

On the second floor of the banquet hall, inside a large room.

Loran, her five apprentice assistants, and the heads of the six or seven local wizard-apprentice families had gathered there.

The leaders of those families were all second-rank or first-rank apprentices, and their families might also have one or two wizard apprentices besides them.

At a long table, Charles and the other five apprentice assistants sat facing the apprentices from the local families.

Every one of the local apprentices kept their attitude extremely humble.

Charles was fairly agreeable and did not refuse to converse with them.

He briefly learned about the local customs and way of life.

Charles had always believed that the more friends one had, the more paths lay open before them.

Jody was different from Charles. From the moment she entered, she had pulled down her hood, closed her eyes, and stayed apart from everything around her.

Just as they were chatting, the doors were pushed open.

Everyone turned to look. The one who entered was the Blood Ring Knight, with Loran in a black robe following behind him.

Loran sat in the seat of honor at the center of the long table. She swept her gaze over the local families, then said:

"I am the wizard stationed here this time. From today onward, if you want to live, you will obey my commands!"

"Enough. Sit down!"

"Yes, my lord!" all the apprentices obediently called out.

This time, Loran had altered her voice, making it extremely hoarse.

Loran looked at the local families and said, "Each family will provide one Great Knight and ten knights. Beginning tomorrow, assemble them and await my orders!"

The apprentices from several local families exchanged glances. An old man gathered his courage and said, "My lord... isn't that a little too many?"

Loran's gaze fell upon him. With only a single look, that first-rank apprentice was sent flying.

Loran's hoarse voice rang out. "I am not discussing this with you. This is an order!"

"You will only obey! You have no need to question me!"

"If this force is not assembled by tomorrow, you will not want to know the consequences!"

The local apprentices nodded repeatedly. "Yes, my lord! We will ensure that the knights assemble tomorrow!"

Although the apprentice who had been sent flying was not physically injured, his spirit had suffered a devastating blow. The gap was simply too vast.

He immediately dropped to his knees and repeatedly kowtowed.

Loran continued, "With this convergence of the Shadow Nightmare Realm, I do not want too many people in this city to die."

"If too many people die, then there will be no need for your families to remain."

"If Nightmare Beasts appear next, or if infected people emerge, deal with them as quickly as possible!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Loran began to placate the local families. "Every month, I will give a lesson at the manor. If you encounter any problems in your training, you may come to me then for answers."

A carrot in one hand, a stick in the other.

The apprentices of those local families were immediately overjoyed. "Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!"