As Vice Principal of First University, Old Man Ruo Yu needed more wizards who understood art. The Wizarding World was like a towering spire: the higher one climbed, the less room there was to maneuver. That meant the wizards occupying the upper levels had to learn to compromise with one another.
But for ordinary wizards at the bottom, settling into the usual routine was the life they knew best. Spats in the streets and alleys, shouting matches by the curb, crafty peddlers, fiery housewives, flying broom tails knocking over promotional stands outside shops, and fireball-juggling performers scorching the snow-white awnings outside second-floor lofts.
These days, Robert Li dealt with such trivial matters every day, witnessing the most common yet endlessly varied disputes in the world, and he never grew tired of it.
After all, being transferred from Beta Town North District to Beta Town's Pedestrian Street was lucky enough for him. He had no reason to ask for more. Besides, whether in number or intensity, the commotion on the Pedestrian Street was far less than at the North District docks. The wizards here even used honorifics when they argued—
"Are you blind when you walk? You stepped on my foot!"
"I was wondering why something poked my foot..."
Robert swiftly stepped between the two glaring passersby, expertly piling on a smile as he cheerfully displayed the silver-white Public Security Bureau badge on his belt, stopping the pair from foolishly drawing their spellbooks.
"Easy, easy. Throwing Evil Curses around will bring the school's Patrol Team down on you, and nobody will look good then. You know those young masters at the school have been furious over the chaos these past few months. They've been looking to make an example out of someone... When you're out and about, bumps and bruises are