After Sally finished speaking, she noticed that all the Wizard Seedlings present wore looks of longing.
They seemed to be looking forward to becoming powerful Formal Wizards like that themselves.
Even Leo felt his heart stir.
Chris said directly, "One day, I'll become a Formal Wizard too."
Sally merely smiled after hearing that and said nothing.
Only those who had set foot on the path of Wizardry knew just how difficult it was to become a Formal Wizard.
"The registration is complete. Follow me. We'll now depart for the Esmond Gathering's residence."
After speaking, a wooden staff appeared in Sally's hand, with a dark green gemstone embedded at its tip.
Sally lightly waved the staff in her hand.
Then, centered around Sally, Leo and the others were enveloped in a current of air and rose into the sky.
Aside from Leo, everyone else was seeing such a sight for the first time, and panic appeared on their faces almost simultaneously.
Chris even cried out, "Fly... we're flying!"
Seeing the others' reactions, Sally merely smiled and explained, "Don't panic. This is just a simple spell I cast. It will take us to the Esmond Gathering's residence."
Since Leo had previously experienced Nova's passenger airship, he was not overly surprised.
After flying for several minutes, Leo and the others slowly descended in front of an enormous three-story building.
There was a wide open space in front of the building.
From high in the air, Leo could also see a vast cultivation area behind the building.
However, perhaps it was only an illusion, but Leo noticed that the vegetation in the cultivation area seemed to be moving, resembling the Tree Demons from fairy tales.
The other Wizard Seedlings curiously and uneasily surveyed their surroundings.
"Welcome to Esmond Lodge. This is our Gathering's base. Aside from you, there are over a thousand students, graduate students, and teaching assistants from the Esmond Gathering here."
Sally spoke with a smile.
"At the Tower of Dawn, Gatherings are the core organizational units. They are divided into mentors, teaching assistants, graduate students, and students."
"The students of a Gathering consist of Wizard Seedlings like you who have not yet become Wizards. Your task is to condense a Spiritual Seed as quickly as possible and become a Wizard apprentice."
"Once you condense a Spiritual Seed, you will officially become a graduate student. You can then begin participating in and forming the various research projects held by Wizards."
"After accumulating sufficient achievements in research projects, you may choose a Gathering to serve as a teaching assistant, gaining teaching experience and developing your own Wizard network. Esmond has two teaching assistants: me and Wizard Stella."
"If you cannot find a mentor, you may come to Wizard Stella or me with any questions regarding your cultivation."
At that point, Leo suddenly raised an eyebrow.
Judging by this hierarchy, teaching assistants should be second only to mentors in strength.
And Nova had previously said that Sally had become a Wizard only recently... Did that mean Wizard Sally was actually a genius?
"Above teaching assistants are mentors. Each Gathering has only one, and they are also the core of the Gathering."
At that moment, Molly, the only girl among the Wizard Seedlings, raised her hand and timidly asked, "Wizard Sally, if a Gathering loses its mentor, can it still continue to exist?"
The others immediately turned their attention toward her.
Under everyone's gaze, Molly lowered her head and buried her face against her chest, looking rather timid.
After hearing her question, Sally was silent for a moment before smiling. "Once a Gathering loses its mentor, it ceases to exist."
After Sally said that, Chris and the others looked somewhat panicked.
Even Leo frowned slightly.
The Esmond Gathering's mentor had lost contact during the journey aboard the Wizard ship.
Did that mean their Esmond Gathering could no longer continue?
Seeing their concern, Sally said, "You needn't worry about that. Even if Mentor Esmond truly cannot return, the Tower of Dawn will send another mentor to take over the Esmond Gathering. It will not affect your cultivation."
Leo frowned slightly upon hearing this.
Sally had accepted Leo directly. If they changed mentors, there was no telling whether the new mentor would, like Lane, despise him for being a Prossian.
Seeing the unrest among the Wizard Seedlings, Sally said, "All right, this is not something you students should concern yourselves with. I have already arranged accommodations for you."
Sally took a pitch-black stone from her robes and said, "But before that, you need to understand something."
"This is a Magic Stone, the currency Wizards use for trade."
Leo stared at the Magic Stone, but the illustrated handbook did not react.
"Studying at the Tower of Dawn requires Magic Stones as tuition."
"However, for the first three months, we will not charge you any Magic Stones. Your food, lodging, and daily necessities here will also be free."
"But after three months, both tuition and living expenses must be paid by yourselves."
John asked, "Wizard Sally, under normal circumstances, how much are the tuition and living expenses?"
Sally said, "Tuition is fixed at 100 Magic Stones per year. As for living expenses, that depends on you."
"As students, you have a very important source of income for tuition: the Comprehensive Assessment."
"The Comprehensive Assessment records your personal growth, as well as your contributions and evaluations in different laboratories, and gives you an assessment score."
"The level of your assessment score determines the amount of Magic Stone scholarship you can receive."
Chris asked, "Wizard Sally, what kinds of abilities does the Comprehensive Assessment record?"
"A Wizard's spiritual talent, the growth of spiritual energy, the construction of spell models, and subjects related to Wizards—all of these are included... One core score is the level of your spiritual energy."
Leo asked, "Wizard Sally, if we fail to obtain enough scholarship after three months, will we be expelled from the Tower of Dawn?"
This was what Leo cared about most.
Sally said, "Yes. If you cannot obtain enough scholarship within three months, that means you truly are not suited to becoming a Wizard."
Leo and the others could not help but change expression.
They had never expected that, after arriving at the Tower of Dawn, the first issue they had to consider would be money.
Without enough Magic Stones, their path as Wizards would come to an end.
John asked, "Wizard Sally, if someone becomes a Wizard within three months, how much scholarship can they receive?"
"Become a Wizard within three months? Around 2,000 Magic Stones."
Upon hearing Sally's answer, John could not help but smile.
That smile seemed to say: as long as he became a Wizard within three months, the problem of tuition would be solved.
However, as if to shatter everyone's unnecessary fantasies, Sally said, "But in most cases, only those with spiritual talent at level 5 or above can become Wizards within three months."
At those words, everyone fell silent.
Among the five of them, Leo and Chris had the highest spiritual talent, yet even they were only level 3.
Before you continue