The female apprentice named Carpenter, who had been hiding behind Russell in panic, suddenly caught on. "Patriarch? Are you saying we still have a chance?
"Is the Black Mystery Tower going to lift its restrictions on Intermediate Apprentices?"
"They'll charge a fee," the patriarch of the Haisenar Family interrupted.
Both apprentices' eyes widened, but after exchanging a glance, they immediately turned back to their patriarch.
The patriarch of the Haisenar Family nodded in satisfaction.
Unlike other noble families, the Haisenar Family's backing had collapsed so swiftly and so terrifyingly that all its former branches had fled at once. None had any intention of following the main branch into exile.
Otherwise, their entire family would not have struggled to find even a few promising apprentices all these years... The reason nobles could endure for so long in such harsh circumstances was that, whenever they discovered a gifted child in their territory, they could bring that child into their fold early.
Of course, since Mages held such high status and Sia Tower kept such a sharp watch, no one dared resort to force. But how many commoners could withstand a noble's methods?
Besides, it benefited both sides.
Otherwise, even if those young apprentices received some assistance from a Mage Tower, their families would not share in the benefits.
But collateral branches that joined the Haisenar Family this way certainly received little of the main branch's wealth, so no one could blame them for taking flight when disaster struck.
Still, although that outcome had indeed made life difficult for the family after their escape, their close blood ties had kept them united.
Gilbert's father, for instance, could clearly have replaced their branch as the family's leader after Gilbert entered the Black Mystery Tower. Yet after careful consideration, he had chosen to take a