Yes, he had power now too. He was no longer the class leader who could only throw his weight around by relying on Kavi's fists, no longer the Carlson Family servant who had once been beneath everyone else.
Matthew watched the flames dance in his palm, a vicious glint flickering in his eyes.
Li Ang Carlson... just you wait... Once we reach the Wizard Tower... once I gain greater power... I'll kill you first, then every last member of the Carlson Family...
Kavi took over Matthew's position and became the new "class leader" of the lower-tier probationary apprentices.
He became even more ruthless and domineering, seemingly venting twice as much of the humiliation he had suffered from Li Ang and Matthew, along with the pressure of being unable to condense an Astral Star, onto everyone else.
The atmosphere among the lower tier became even more oppressive. The pressure of condensing an Astral Star weighed on everyone's heart like a massive boulder.
The days slipped quietly by in meditation, studying potion-making, and practicing spells.
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At last, the horizon was no longer an unchanging expanse of blue.
The outline of an enormous city gradually emerged from the morning sea mist.
Walls built from massive white stone blocks stretched along the coastline for dozens of miles. Countless ships packed the harbor, while a towering black spire stood at the city's very center.
Li Ang, Matthew, and Helena, the three Formal Apprentices, were summoned to the deck along with all the probationary apprentices.
Wizard Selenst stood at the bow, his black robe snapping in the salty sea breeze.
Behind him stood the wizard's attendant, holding a parchment scroll for records.
The massive wizard ship slowly entered the bustling harbor and came to a stop at a designated berth.
The gangplank was lowered. Selenst turned around, his cold gaze sweeping across the crowd of people wearing varied expressions.
"The journey is over."
His voice was not loud, yet it rang clearly in everyone's ears. "Now for the final confirmation."
The wizard's attendant stepped forward. "All those who have successfully condensed their first Magic Starlet, step forward."
A stir ran through the crowd. Aside from Li Ang, Matthew, Helena, and Ludik, who had condensed Magic Starlets earlier, another nine probationary apprentices stepped out from the crowd.
Their faces bore traces of exhaustion, but even more relief and excitement at having succeeded.
Nearly twenty people remained behind. Their faces were ashen, their eyes filled with unwillingness and despair.
Selenst's gaze swept over Li Ang and the others before he gave a slight nod.
"You are qualified to enter the Riley City Wizard Tower and continue your training as probationary apprentices."
Then his gaze shifted to the overwhelming majority who had failed to condense an Astral Star, his tone utterly flat.
"Those who failed to condense an Astral Star have two choices."
The despairing crowd instantly fell silent, holding their breath as they listened.
"First," Selenst said, his voice like a judgment, "purchase a ticket at your own expense and take the next ship back. Return to wherever you came from."
Suppressed sobs and pained groans arose from the crowd.
Go back? Return to those minor noble families that had emptied their fortunes to put them aboard this ship, branded as failures?
What sort of cold looks and mockery would await them? Their families' hopes would be utterly shattered as well...
"Second," Selenst continued coldly, "stay, sign a contract, and become an attendant of the Wizard Tower. You will be responsible for basic duties such as chores within the tower, clerical work, and assisting with experiments."
A faint glimmer of hope lit up in the crowd's eyes.
"As attendants, you will receive basic living provisions and have a chance to access the fringe knowledge of the wizarding world."
Selenst continued, "Every year, the Wizard Tower will conduct a qualification review for attendants. If you successfully condense an Astral Star before the review, you may shed your attendant status and become a Formal Apprentice, starting over from the beginning."
He paused, his gray eyes sweeping over everyone. "The choice is yours. You have a quarter of an hour to consider."
A deathly silence immediately fell over the deck, broken only by waves striking the hull and heavy breathing.
Should they return to inherit their family estates and become minor nobles with bleak futures in barren lands?
Or should they stay as servants, endure a life beneath others, and place their hopes in a distant future?
Time passed second by second.
In the end, five or six people—mostly those from relatively powerful families who believed they still had a way out if they returned—chose to leave with ashen faces.
The remaining dozen or so, including Kavi, silently chose to stay. Their faces carried humiliation and unwillingness, mixed with a sliver of humble anticipation for the future.
They signed the wizard attendant contracts.
At that moment, their identities underwent a complete reversal. From "gifted candidates" burdened with great expectations, they had fallen to become the lowest servants of the Wizard Tower.
Finally, his gaze settled on Li Ang, Matthew, and Helena.
"As for you three, you are already Formal Apprentices. Once you arrive at the tower, you may freely choose a school to join and collect the basic supplies allotted to apprentices."
After saying this, Wizard Selenst was the first to step onto the solid wooden planks of the dock.
Li Ang, Matthew, and Helena followed close behind. After them came Ludik and the other nine probationary apprentices who had successfully condensed Astral Stars.
Last came Kavi and the other dozen or so newly appointed servants, their faces ashen as if they were prisoners being escorted under the wizard attendant's lead.
The moment they stepped onto the harbor planks, the bustle of the Riley City Port District enveloped them.
The air no longer carried only the monotonous stench of the sea. It was mixed with the aroma of food drifting from afar and the pungent scent of certain herbs.
At that moment, dozens of dockworkers were busy at the pier.
They unloaded cargo from merchant ships that had arrived from all over the world, then handed it over to people dressed in wizard attendant uniforms for inspection and acceptance.
When the wizard attendants saw Selenst, they all stopped working, lowered their heads, and eagerly greeted him.
"Ah, Lord Selenst, your sacred radiance has graced this humble place."
"My lord, your recruitment journey must have been arduous. As for this newly arrived batch of white crystals, this humble one would not dare be negligent. I am rigorously testing their purity to the highest standards, ensuring every piece is worthy of your great magic array."
"Oh, Lord Selenst, you look exceptionally well today. Surely, before long, the position of school head will be yours."
Selenst turned a blind eye to all of it and continued forward.
His wizard attendant, however, glared darkly at one of them. "You dare speculate about Carter becoming the next school head? Aren't you afraid of losing your head?"
Then he turned his gaze toward the other two. "And don't think Lord Selenst doesn't know what you're up to. Let me tell you, this is useless."
"Do your jobs properly. Strive to catch the eye of another wizard lord and become his personal wizard attendant."
Then, without another glance at Carter, whose face had gone white with fright, or the other two embarrassed wizard attendants, he turned to the dozen or so people behind him.
"You lot are the same. Work hard and strive to be noticed by a wizard lord, becoming his personal attendant just like me."
"When a wizard lord is in a good mood, a casual word of guidance from him is worth more than months of your own painstaking efforts."
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