A Laboratory of His Own, Academy Life Begins

Green did not have to wait long. Before long, one weathered middle-aged man after another in gray robes arrived beside him.

"You're Green, right? I'm Newt Clovize. You can call me Newt. Instructor Lilian asked me to show you around the academy. Follow me." Green nodded and left the area with the man.

Newt led Green through several twists and turns, leaving the open ground behind. However, the surroundings seemed restricted somehow. When Green looked around, everything appeared to be shrouded in a faint mist, making the surrounding environment impossible to see clearly.

"Stop looking. You only passed through the outer barrier just now. You still need to pass through the inner barrier before you can truly reach the academy." Seeing Green's confusion, Newt patiently explained.

The two continued onward and eventually arrived before a strange statue. It was an animal statue Green had never seen before. It had a goat-like head, but its long horns resembled a deer's. Its neck was long and covered in scales. It had eight legs and even a pair of wings. Looking at this cobbled-together monster made Green feel physically uncomfortable.

"This is the academy's guardian beast, the Anqivia Goat. Don't let its ugly appearance fool you. Though it looks like a statue, it is actually a powerful creature cultivated by our school. It possesses extremely high elemental resistance and can confront a Formal Wizard head-on. Its mind is stable and it is easy to control. The academy had to pay an enormous price to cultivate this guardian beast."

A rune flew from Newt's hand and landed atop the Anqivia Goat's head. An opening appeared beside the statue.

"Let's go." Newt strode inside.

Green followed closely behind. A vast cluster of castles appeared before him. People frequently entered and exited the castles, but most passersby clutched books and hurried along.

"Our White House Academy is divided into six major areas: the teaching area, experimental area, residential area, trading area, mission area, and medicinal herb area, along with several smaller areas. You'll gradually learn the details through daily life. For now, you only need to know their general locations. There will be orientation for new students later, and they'll help you become familiar with the surroundings." Newt pointed at the castles and briefly introduced the function of each one.

"The academy's students are under a great deal of pressure, so try not to make too much noise. I'll take you to collect your new student supplies now." Newt turned to Green and spoke quietly.

Newt brought Green before a castle. A large pile of items was laid out in front of it, and occasionally someone like Green was brought over to collect supplies. A table stood at the castle entrance, where an old man with white hair and a white beard sat in a chair, holding a quill pen. Whenever a new student collected their things, he scribbled in a notebook.

"Newt, you're not in your laboratory brewing potions, yet you took on a task guiding new students?" The old man looked extremely surprised upon seeing Newt.

"It's not a task. He's Instructor Lilian's student. Instructor Lilian asked me to come." Hearing Newt's words, the old man's expression became even more astonished. He carefully sized Green up as though he had seen some rare curiosity.

"See those piles over there? Take one of each." The old man pointed at the several large piles before the castle.

"A set of gray robes for Wizard Apprentices. A badge symbolizing apprentice status, which can be used to open the castle doors. Be careful not to lose either of those. Some witchcraft has been fixed onto them. Replacing them will cost you thirty magic stones."

After Green took one of each item, the old man reminded him.

Newt led Green around the castle complex, passing several castles and two medicinal herb areas before stopping in front of a castle marked as the experimental area.

Pushing open the castle doors, Green followed Newt up toward the upper floors.

In the castle corridors, Green encountered several other people in gray robes. Most of them greeted Newt. After climbing dozens of floors, they reached the top of the castle. The two stopped before a massive wooden door.

They had barely reached the entrance when Lilian's voice came from inside the castle.

"Is that Green? Come in!"

"Yes!"

Green looked at Newt and bowed in thanks before pushing open the door.

As soon as he entered, the mixed smell of disinfectant and all kinds of pungent odors filled the entire laboratory, making Green frown.

The room was an enormous laboratory, almost completely filled with glass bottles, beakers, test tubes, and other experimental equipment. There was also a large collection of tools Green did not recognize, probably unique to the wizarding world. It gave him the feeling of returning to a biochemical laboratory.

A table stood in the center of the laboratory. Instructor Lilian sat behind it, dressed all in white. Her simple appearance carried an air of power.

"Green, I believe you have gained some understanding of the academy. Unlike the other students, you are already a Second-Class Apprentice before even enrolling. Your progress far surpasses theirs, but you have never been exposed to the foundational knowledge of wizards. For the time being, attend public classes according to your own needs." Lilian set down the test tube in her hand and spoke to Green earnestly.

Green also knew that his foundation was lacking. The gaps in his knowledge prevented him from systematically combining what he knew and applying it in practice.

"I understand, Instructor," Green quickly replied.

Seeing Green's attitude, Lilian smiled with satisfaction.

"Take this." Lilian tossed a black scroll to Green.

"I haven't forgotten what I promised you. This is the key to the laboratory on the twenty-sixth floor of the castle. It is a complete potion laboratory with commonly used equipment that you may use free of charge. I will regularly replenish the medicinal herbs in the laboratory warehouse on the twenty-sixth floor. If you perform well, you may apply to me for higher-grade materials."

Lilian's words delighted Green. Laboratories were obviously expensive, yet he could use one for free already. He had truly struck it lucky.

"Thank you, Instructor." Green hurriedly expressed his gratitude.

"All right, I need to continue my potion experiments. You may leave now. Remember not to wander around the academy. Although we are a white wizard organization, there are still many wizards with strange temperaments. Try not to provoke them."

"Yes, Instructor!" Green bowed and left the laboratory.

When he stepped out of the laboratory, Newt had already left.

"Fortunately, the Chip has scanning and recording functions. If it had been the me from my previous life, I might really have gotten lost." Ever since arriving here, Green had had the Chip record the map. Combined with Newt's introductions along the way, Green had gained a general understanding of the entire academy.

Most of the dangerous places were in the experimental area. There might be radiation leaks or experimental animals going out of control at any time. Wizards were all research fanatics and spent most of their time in the experimental area. Green did not want to bring trouble upon himself by wandering around aimlessly.

Following the Chip's directions, Green arrived at the dormitory area and dug a key out of the package he had collected from the old man.

The black key, made from some unknown metal alloy, felt heavy in Green's hand. One side of it bore the number "666."

Seeing that number, Green's mouth twitched. That was way too lucky.

Quite a few Wizard Apprentices had already arrived in the dormitory area. Since this was the new student dormitory, it was still somewhat noisy, with students exchanging stories about what they had seen along the way.

"The atmosphere among white wizards is much better. If black wizards grabbed you halfway there like in those novels, you'd be finished!"

Green was merely a research scholar, not some powerful warrior in pursuit of strength. If he truly had to fight, Green would definitely learn from a certain black, flying animal-themed hero: only agree to scheduled fights, never fight on the spur of the moment.

The dormitories were easy to find. The first digit represented the floor, while the second and third digits represented the room number. Green's dormitory was room sixty-six on the sixth floor. Following the numbers to his room, he inserted the key into the lock.

With a click, the dormitory door opened.

"Wizards clearly possess such great power, so why are the student dormitories built with such primitive mechanical locks?" Looking at the Chip's analysis, which showed that any ordinary thief could open the door, Green could not help complaining. "It looks like I need to learn a protective spell first, so my things don't get stolen."

Pushing the door open and setting down his new student supplies, Green began looking around.

It was a standard single room. It contained only a bed, along with a washroom and study. Each apprentice actually lived alone. It seemed that even among white wizards, independent living was encouraged. Looking around, Green thought to himself.

"Not bad!" Green gave his evaluation.