"Zheng Qing?!"
Professor Monteria scrutinized the young wizard before him with his usual stern gaze. His tone was certain, though it seemed to carry a hint of curiosity.
"Yes, Professor Monteria. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Zheng Qing clasped his hands before his abdomen and nodded somewhat stiffly. At the same time, he unfolded the receipt Professor Monteria had given him and held it out—the bull's head serving as the gatekeeper had spat the slip back out to him after he passed through the small bronze door.
Professor Monteria reached out, but instead of taking the note, he grabbed the scholarship student's wrist.
Zheng Qing's arm trembled, but in the end, he did not pull his hand away.
"Councilwoman Su said you wanted to understand yourself as thoroughly as possible?" The professor pinched Zheng Qing's wrist between two fingers, as though taking his pulse, yet also as if ensuring he could not run away.
"Yes..." Zheng Qing nodded repeatedly and was about to explain further, but Professor Monteria cut him off.
"That won't be easy." The professor shook his head, seeming unconvinced by Zheng Qing's plan. "There is more than one difficult thing in this world, but 'knowing yourself' is undoubtedly among the hardest. Many people want to understand themselves, but very few can achieve it."
Zheng Qing had no objection to that statement.
"I just want to test whether I have any unusual bloodlines in my body." Zheng Qing chose his words carefully. He had to make Professor Monteria understand what he wanted without arousing too much of his interest—in short, it was a conversation that required considerable skill. The young wizard added,
"Because I seem rather sensitive to intense mental stimulation. Blood-colored patches often appear at the back of my eyes, but the School Hospital found no