Chapter 11: Pale Mushrooms

Chapter 11: Pale Mushrooms

Saul's first public class was on wizard script.

The class wasn't taught by a formal wizard, or even a third-level apprentice.

Just a second-level apprentice with an entirely forgettable face.

His mind clearly wasn’t on teaching—he was only doing this to earn contribution credits.

He spoke very quickly, and didn’t allow any questions.

After Keli raised her hand for the third time and got ignored again, she puffed up her cheeks in frustration.

“Alright. Up to this point—does anyone feel dizzy, nauseous, or like they might throw up?”
The second-level apprentice finally looked up and asked the class a question.

About seven or eight students raised their hands—clearly all newcomers.

“Heh.” The apprentice sneered. “With spiritual strength that weak, I have no idea how you passed the test.”

He slammed shut the heavy book on the podium with a smack, straightened up, and crossed his arms.

“Noah Script—the most widely used and most basic of all wizarding languages. If you can’t even stare at it for over an hour, I suggest you just give up on advancing to second level altogether.”

The newcomers quickly retracted their raised hands under their desks, their faces flushed red with shame. Some looked upset, but none dared to speak out.

The apprentice tapped his knuckles on the book’s cover with a thunk thunk thunk.

“This stuff is too basic to bother explaining. When you self-study later, if you can read for over half an hour without feeling dizzy, that’s considered a pass. The longer you can go, the better—but don’t overdo it. I wouldn’t want half of you dropping dead right away.”

Why was he suddenly being so “kind” with warnings? Saul was suspicious—there had to be a catch.

Sure enough, the next thing the second-level apprentice said was:

“If you’re really that stupid and need to ask me questions, remember to bring magic crystals or contribution credits as payment.”

He glanced toward Keli—who had raised her hand multiple times—and raised an eyebrow.

“But judging by the look of you all, I doubt you have any money yet. Just a bunch of pale mushrooms.”

With a snort, he hugged the book to his chest, lifted his chin, and strode out the front of the classroom like he was walking a fashion runway.

---

“Pale mushrooms?” Keli turned to Saul, puzzled.
“What does that mean?”

Saul searched his fragmented memories—nothing came up on that term.

Instead, a more senior first-level apprentice in the back row stood up, gathering his books.
As he did, he answered:

“Pale mushrooms. The weakest, the cheapest… heh, and the tastiest.”

The classroom erupted with movement, most of the students filtering out.
Only the newest batch of apprentices stayed behind.

Doze, who had tried to cozy up to Keli the day before, quickly walked over—his friend Rocky trailing nervously behind him.

Doze tugged on Keli’s sleeve and whispered:
“Kori, why are you still… hanging around with him?”

“What do you mean?”

Doze had seen Saul crush Duke the day before and didn’t dare meet Saul’s gaze directly.

“There’s a second-level senior targeting him. You don’t want to get caught up in that.”

He didn’t dare bring up Saul’s “cheating” to pass the apprentice test while Saul was present, but he made a mental note to tell Keli in private.
He wanted to convince her to move away from Room 604 and avoid any fallout.

“You think the others would treat us kindly either?”
Keli turned her head, hugging her books.
“Heh… Pale mushrooms.”

She perfectly mimicked the second-level apprentice’s smug look as he left.

Without Keli as a barrier, Doze quickly took a few steps back, keeping his eyes warily on Saul.

Saul calmly gathered his books and papers, ignoring Doze, and walked straight out.

Once Saul had left, Doze turned to Rocky and fumed:
“He actually ignored me?”

Rocky frowned deeply.
“Let’s just stay away from him.”

---

The second public class started half an hour later—a course on meditation.

Following instructions in the apprentice handbook, Saul brought the crystal ball he had received yesterday and went to another large classroom.

This one was fan-shaped, lower in front and higher in back, with thick cushions spread across the floor. It was already filled with people.

Saul even spotted a few second-level apprentices among them.

He found a spot and sat down, intentionally leaving space next to him for Keli.

But as soon as he did, a newbie apprentice on his left silently picked up his crystal ball and moved away.

“Childish.” Saul rolled his eyes inwardly.
He was no literal twelve-year-old. This level of exclusion didn’t bother him.

Right before class started, Keli—her hair in twin braids—plopped down beside him.

Without saying a word, Saul tucked the book that had been resting on the right cushion out of the way.

“I asked about the price.” Keli whispered to him.
“…Total robbery!”

“You have magic crystals?” Saul asked.
New apprentices didn’t even have credits yet.

“I traded pocket money for them.”

Class time came and went, but no one arrived to teach.

The newbies began whispering to one another, but the older apprentices sat quietly with lowered eyes.

Saul opened his meditation book.
Every few pages, it had an illustration—each one weird and chaotic.

Staring at them even briefly made your head spin.
Worse than the Noah script.

Saul deliberately avoided the images and only read the text.

But the writing was full of obscure and complex characters, many of which he didn’t even recognize.

He frowned, just like when he had first seen the book yesterday.

Then—footsteps.

Saul looked up.

A tall, blonde woman entered the room, dragging behind her a creature that looked like a cross between a lizard and a crocodile.

She walked all the way to the front corner of the classroom, let go of the leash, and stood with her hands on her hips.

“Newcomers: put your crystal balls aside for now. Listen first.
Those of you who’ve done this before—start meditating.”

The older students quietly opened their books, held their crystal balls in both hands, and half-closed their eyes.

“So this is meditation?” Saul thought to himself.

The blonde woman began speaking again.
“I’m Monica. I specialize in lightning-element magic.
If you’re attending my class this afternoon, make sure you’re not wearing anything metal.”

Saul hadn’t processed what she meant—when a streak of blue lightning suddenly crackled across Monica’s face.

It arced across her left cheek to her neck, leaving a charred black mark.

Monica calmly raised her hand and ripped the scorched skin clean off, revealing bright red muscle tissue beneath.

There was no blood, but the pulsing flesh was deeply unsettling.

Especially since the wound was on the face of a beautiful woman—the contrast was jarring.
Several newcomers lowered their heads, too disturbed to keep looking.

Saul clenched his teeth and stared at Monica.
He’d already seen the terrifying half-head of Kongsha—this was still within his tolerance.

“Crunch… crunch… crunch…”

The lizard-crocodile creature on the floor had started munching on the piece of blackened flesh Monica had tossed away.

It was disturbingly crisp.

Saul and Keli fell completely silent.

These wizards—every single one was bizarre.

Even the ones who looked normal on the outside… were twisted on the inside.

Saul looked down at the white fingertips peeking from under his sleeve.

When I become a wizard one day… will I turn into something like this?

Kongsha’s face.
The melting fat boy.
The sickening and terrifying mentor Gudo.
And now this—Monica, who casually peeled off layers of beauty like they were dead skin…

Is turning into a monster the price of becoming a wizard?

---

(End of Chapter)

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