Serie's New Disciple

"Mm, this bakery's bread tastes really good."

"It carries the fresh aroma of wheat, with plump dried fruit and crushed nuts inside. The texture is rich, and it's incredibly satisfying to eat."

When he returned to the examination site, there were clearly a few more mage candidates in line than when Guter had left. Fortunately, there were still fewer than thirty, so there was no risk of too many monks fighting over too little porridge.

Carrying two baskets of bread, Guter went from the front of the line to the back, handing out breakfast to the mages who had arrived early to queue up.

Judging by the time, most of these candidates probably had not had breakfast either.

Thus, as soon as Guter handed out the first loaf of bread, he received a notification from the system.

Ding!

Daily Task: Daily Good Deed completed

Guter could not help but smile. Looking at the middle-aged man at the front of the line, he guessed the man really was starving.

Realizing that his behavior had been somewhat improper, the middle-aged man smiled sheepishly and fumbled for his money pouch, intending to pay for the bread.

Guter waved his hand to indicate that there was no need, then continued down the line, distributing bread to the mage candidates behind him.

By the time he reached the end of the line, Guter glanced into the basket and saw that there was still plenty of bread left.

At that moment, a young girl at the end of the line gently tugged at Guter's sleeve and quietly asked whether she could take two. She said she would pay extra for them.

Just then, an extremely audible growl came from her stomach, making her crouch down in embarrassment, her face instantly flushing red.

"Ha ha."

Guter could not hold back his laughter and quickly took two loaves from the basket and handed them to her.

He still had some impression of this young mage.

After yesterday's examination had ended and Guter had sent off the final candidate who had relied on potions, this girl had been the one to ask him why that candidate had looked so dejected.

Amid the girl's thanks, Guter continued toward the end of the line. Before long, he had handed bread to every candidate taking the test.

At this point, less than five minutes remained before the Mage Examination officially began, while Guter still had five or six loaves left in his basket.

"Give me one."

Suddenly, a calm voice came from behind Guter. Yet the sound of that voice made him pause.

That voice... Teacher Serie?

Guter turned around, and sure enough, his "tiny" teacher was standing behind him with her hand out, asking him for bread.

He hurriedly handed her a loaf, then followed behind Serie as they entered the barrier around the examination grounds right on time.

Seeing his master chewing on a loaf of bread and his senior disciple following behind her with a basket of bread in hand, Lairn, who was standing outside the hall maintaining the barrier, could not help but freeze for a moment.

"Teacher, what are you...?"

"Prepare to begin the examination."

Serie replied calmly. However, as she pushed open the hall's wooden doors to enter, she turned back and spoke to her disciple.

"Lairn, if you haven't eaten breakfast, take a loaf from your senior disciple. The bread from this bakery tastes quite good."

"Here!"

As Serie spoke, Guter had already taken out a loaf and handed it to Lairn.

After thanking him, Lairn accepted it from his senior disciple. Once he silently finished the bread, the hunger in his stomach had faded by more than half.

A few breaths later, melodious bells rang out from the churches throughout the city. Everyone's spirits lifted, because the bells signaled that the second day of the Mage Examination had officially begun.

The mages waiting outside the examination grounds all steeled themselves. Staring at the Magic Barrier before them, they gathered all their mana and attempted to pass through it.

Those who made it through wore faint smiles of joy, then took deep breaths as they prepared to face the even harsher elimination within the hall.

Those who failed to pass through had all kinds of reactions. Some turned and left in disappointment; some angrily punched themselves; others encouraged themselves and planned to try again from the side of the barrier.

All the myriad states of life were on display.

Guter made no judgment. After watching for a while, he stopped paying attention and carried the thick Magic Book into the hall. He sat cross-legged beside his teacher, Serie, and carefully studied its contents.

Whenever Serie was busy eliminating candidates, he would occasionally ask her about several difficult questions.

The day passed in a hurry.

Guter had gained quite a lot over the course of the day. However, Serie beside him could not help feeling somewhat frustrated, because throughout the entire day, only one mage had met her standards and been accepted as her disciple.

Coincidentally, Guter knew this one. She was the girl who had eaten two loaves of bread that morning.

Gazing at the last traces of sunset outside the window, Serie sighed and casually knocked the top of the disciple beside her head.

"Mm?"

Guter, who had been sitting cross-legged and immersed in the Magic Book, was startled awake. He raised his head and looked at Serie beside him.

"Teacher, did you call me?"

"Mm." Serie nodded in confirmation as she rose from her chair.

"Tomorrow morning, at the same time and place, bring your junior disciple to my residence."

"Alright." Guter nodded in agreement, then asked, "Is there anything else to do, Teacher?"

"Hmm."

Serie lowered her head in thought for a moment. After hesitating for a while, she said, "Adjust the time. Come half an hour later."

"Also, take these gold coins. During the examination, bring me a loaf of bread every morning, and keep preparing the ones for the candidates as well."

"I understand."

Guter accepted the gold coins from Teacher Serie. Even without counting them, he could tell from their weight and value that there would only be more, never less.

After his teacher left, without the boost from the Talent Trait Disciple of the Mythical Archmage, Guter's progress in studying the Magic Book immediately slowed considerably. For the moment, he lost the motivation to continue learning.

After getting up from the floor of the hall, Guter straightened his clothes and headed for the city hall in the urban district.

Earlier that afternoon, a staff member had come to the city hall and said that the Continental Magic Association's construction within the district was proceeding smoothly, but several key stages required representatives of the Continental Magic Association to attend.

When the staff member arrived, Serie had happened to be answering some of Guter's questions. Moreover, as the sole examiner, Serie could not be absent. Thus, Lairn and the newly accepted girl had been sent together to Oysaster's city hall to attend the ceremony as representatives of the Continental Magic Association.

By now, the meeting should have ended.

Sure enough, when Guter leisurely arrived at the city hall, he saw the staff member from that afternoon standing at the entrance and bidding farewell to Lairn and the others.