Leo stepped forward and demonstrated his Arcane Hand spell before the crystal ball.
A value appeared on the crystal ball.
"10 points."
This score filled Chris and the others with envy.
Chris even cried out exaggeratedly, "Amazing! Ten points—that's a scholarship worth ten Magic Stones!"
A faint smile appeared on Sally's face as well. "Very good."
"Next, Chris."
"2 points."
Chris smacked his lips and said, "Two points? Better than nothing."
That was what he said, but inside, he was bursting with joy.
He had taken another huge step toward paying his first year's tuition.
"Molly."
"5 points. Not bad. It seems you have some talent for spell construction."
The gem merchant's daughter happily clenched her little fists.
Five points meant an income of five Magic Stones.
There was now hope for paying her first year's tuition.
"Sono."
"0 points."
The expectation in Sono's eyes visibly vanished. Conflict and struggle appeared on his face, and then, as though he had made some sort of decision, he let out a long breath.
"John."
"0 points."
Upon hearing the result, John immediately said in dissatisfaction, "Wizard Sally, what is this supposed to mean? If you say cultivating mental energy depends on hard work, then why have their scores pulled so far ahead of mine after only one hour?"
"It was only one hour of study. What can that possibly prove?"
"Give me more time, and I can do it too. I can do even better."
Sally shook her head, her tone still gentle. "John, spell construction is connected to mental energy. If you had been diligent enough in your meditation before this, then your current result would at least have earned a score of 1, rather than 0."
"Also, I never said that a Wizard's cultivation required no talent... You need to work hard precisely because you lack talent."
John's entire face went white in an instant.
At that moment, John felt like a clown.
His former claim that nobles were more suited to becoming Wizards now seemed like a joke.
In this almost humiliating state, John's emotions completely spiraled out of control. He shouted, "No! I'm not the one with the problem. You are! It's because the Esmond Gathering has no mentor that I got this result. If the one teaching me were a mentor Wizard instead of you, then I definitely wouldn't have scored zero!"
Sally's gaze remained calm, completely unaffected by him.
There were far too many people like John in the Tower of Dawn.
They thought themselves geniuses, but in the Wizard world, they possessed only the most ordinary aptitude.
Chris hurriedly grabbed John's sleeve. "Calm down, John."
John also realized that he had lost his composure. "I'm sorry, Wizard Sally. I was too agitated."
"Fine. You may go back."
Sally said calmly, "Come here again at the same time tomorrow."
Everyone answered, "Yes, Wizard Sally."
After everyone left, Chris finally said, "John, you really are crazy. She's a Wizard, and you actually shouted at her and accused her right to her face."
"I'm not crazy!" John said. "Isn't that simply the truth? If I could join a Gathering with a mentor, the result definitely wouldn't be like this."
John now had none of the elegant bearing he had displayed when they first met.
Chris said, "John, you really are crazy."
Leo shook his head.
Chris and Molly also looked at John as though he were insane.
To spout such nonsense before a Wizard—he truly wasn't afraid of death.
Sono lowered his head, but his eyes flickered as though he were considering something.
Several days passed.
Inside the instruction room.
Leo and the others underwent their fifth Comprehensive Assessment of spell models.
"Danville, 20 points."
At this result, Sally's face was all smiles. "A very good result."
"Chris... 12 points."
"Not bad."
Although there was still a huge gap between this score and Leo's, Chris was very happy. Smiling, he said, "Twelve points means twelve Magic Stones. Not bad."
"Molly... 15 points."
"Not bad."
The timid little girl clenched both hands into fists, looking very happy.
Fifteen points meant fifteen Magic Stones. She had taken another step toward paying her tuition.
"Sono, 3 points."
Sono's expression was calm. It seemed that no matter how low his score was, it could no longer affect him.
"John, 1 point."
John's face was expressionless.
Yet inwardly, he was roaring wildly.
Last again!
I'm last again!
It must be because Wizard Sally can't teach!
If a Gathering mentor taught me, I definitely wouldn't have gotten this result!
Sally said, "In a few days, it will be time for the second Meditation Method progress test. The scores will be uploaded to the central system then, and the final Comprehensive Assessment score for Arcane Hand will also be conducted."
"You do not need to come here over the next few days. Practice in your own rooms instead. If there is anything you do not understand or want to know, you may come to my office and find me."
"Yes, Wizard Sally."
Suddenly, Chris asked curiously, "Wizard Sally, isn't there a ranking for the Arcane Hand test?"
"There is," Sally said, "but it will only be displayed during the final Arcane Hand test."
The group then dispersed.
After returning to his room, Leo first repeatedly studied the Arcane Hand Codex.
The Arcane Hand Codex was only a little short of ordinary quality. Leo hoped to master the ordinary-quality Arcane Hand Codex as soon as possible.
After studying the Codex for most of the day, Leo opened his eyes and let his mind rest for a while.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
Leo raised a brow, wondering who would come looking for him at this hour. He walked to the door and asked, "Who is it?"
"Hello, Danville. I'm Sono."
Leo asked, "Sono, what is it?"
"It is something, but it isn't convenient to discuss it at the door. Let me come in and explain."
Leo nodded and let him in.
After entering, Sono found a place to sit and said, "Leo, I am actually the eighth prince of the Sogla Empire's royal family. This is the symbol of a member of the Sogra Royal House."
As Sono spoke, he took out a badge inlaid with the pattern of a griffin.
Leo merely glanced at it before saying, "I didn't expect you to be a prince. If John knew, he would definitely be shocked."
Seeing that Leo showed no particular reaction, Sono felt a trace of surprise. "You do not seem surprised by my identity at all."
"It is not that I am not surprised. It is simply as you said before—in the Tower of Dawn, status has no meaning."
Sono gave a wry smile at that. "That is true."
"Leo, one of my older brothers is also aboard the Wizard ship that came this time. He is extremely talented, a genius with Level 4 Mental Power Talent."
Leo frowned. "And then?"
"My brother's mentor is very interested in the Esmond Gathering," Sono said. "He hopes that when his mentor takes over the Esmond Gathering, you will support his mentor."
Leo fell silent for a moment before asking, "Who is his mentor?"
Seeing that Leo was somewhat interested, Sono immediately said, "Mentor Uriel. Wizard Lane, who was on the Wizard ship you first boarded, is an assistant instructor of the Uriel Gathering."
Before you continue