Chapter 5: Blending In

Chapter 5: Slipping Through the Cracks

“Next.”

A voice came from the front of the line. The boy in front of Saul gave him one last glare before turning around.

Saul simply gave a cold glance at the boy’s back, memorized his appearance, and then focused on the front of the line.

The crowd shuffled forward a little more, and Saul could now see the people at the very front.

Two individuals sat behind a table. There were some items on the table, but it was too far away to see clearly.

After a while, only five or six people remained ahead of Saul—and at some point, three or four more had lined up behind him.

They were probably like him—former servants, brought in to fill the numbers.

“...This kid has no magical aptitude, and his spiritual strength is abysmal. Both metrics are trash. How did he even get selected?”

At that moment, a young man in front, responsible for the assessment, suddenly shouted in frustration.

Saul quickly looked over—just in time to see a chubby boy squinting and smiling as he handed something to the complaining young man.

“My talent’s a bit lacking, Lord Wizard. Please be generous.”

That was a blatant bribe!

But the young man—clearly just a wizard apprentice—took the item with a sneer. “One magic crystal? So this is how you’ve wormed your way through everything? Do you really think you can buy off a wizard?”

The chubby boy’s always-successful tactic failed. His smile froze awkwardly.

“That’s not what I meant, sir…”

He tried to explain—but the young man flicked something with his thumb.

From Saul’s angle, it wasn’t clear—maybe it hit the boy’s face, or maybe it went into his mouth.

And then—Saul witnessed something he would never forget for the rest of his life.

The chubby boy suddenly went stiff—and then, like a melting candle, his entire body turned into a puddle of liquid. Inside the ooze, Saul could still faintly see the boy’s facial features and limbs.

The man standing next to the apprentice clicked his tongue.

“Ugh, so messy. Disgusting. Why not just send him off as a servant?”

Saul’s heart sank.

He was a servant too!

At that moment, the silent hardcover book suddenly flew in front of Saul and opened with a flutter.

---

[Lunar Calendar Year 314, May 25th

You finally slipped into the apprentice candidate lineup.

But you forgot how you became a servant in the first place. You failed the magical aptitude test back then—so what, you think a few years later you’ve somehow gained wizard potential?

Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. You died laughing.]

---

As expected!

Saul stiffly moved forward with the line, and he heard several uneasy whispers behind him.

If he proceeded like this, he’d likely fail the test.

And from what the book said, he'd be exposed as a former servant—and die laughing.

Saul glanced down at his left hand, hidden in his sleeve’s shadow.

It was enough to scare off servants and even the steward—but it definitely wouldn’t intimidate a wizard apprentice.

Should he use Kongsha’s name?

As soon as Saul had that thought, new lines appeared on the hardcover book:

---

[You failed the magical aptitude test, and your servant identity was exposed. 

Syd (Sid) halted the test and tried to kill you on the spot. 

At a critical moment, you invoked Kongsha’s name.

Syd went silent and let you go.

After completing the other two tests, you successfully became a low-tier wizard apprentice—

And that night, you were lucky enough to turn into a pile of bones.

At least your left hand didn’t look so out of place anymore.]

---

Saul froze.

Even using Kongsha wouldn't work? 

Fear crawled up Saul’s spine again.

What could he do to pass the test?

Even if he gave up now, the only thing awaiting him was death.
He didn’t need the book to tell him that.

Each step forward in the line felt like a step toward the abyss… and he was about to fall in!

“Think! Think! There must be another way!”

Saul’s eyes locked onto the increasingly close table. That was where the test instruments were set.

He closely observed the testing process.

Each person was instructed to take the three tests from left to right, in sequence.

On the left side was a black crystal ball—used to test magical aptitude.

You held the ball to your forehead, and the more transparent it became, the better your magical talent.

In the middle was a wooden doll, carved vividly into the shape of a little girl—but its eyes were hollow and pitch black.

The subject had to stare into the doll’s eyes, and it would begin to move—the more it moved, the stronger your spiritual strength.

Lastly, a paintbrush dipped in paint was used to test elemental affinity.

You drew a circle on a white sheet of paper, and the paint would automatically change colors. The apprentice would then announce two elements, which were written down by the man beside him.

Saul nervously watched two people take the tests—

Cases like the chubby boy bribing his way in were rare—these two passed normally.

But Saul noticed that both of them, after finishing the tests, looked pale and exhausted.

After the third test, they staggered away. One even looked like he was about to faint.

Maybe…

Though not entirely certain, now that Saul had a new plan—and the hardcover book wasn’t warning him—he firmly made up his mind.

He had no way out now. He could only charge through this death trial.

There were fewer and fewer people ahead of him.

Finally—it was Saul’s turn.

The lazy wizard apprentice reclining in the chair let out a cold laugh the moment he saw Saul’s face.

He recognizes me? 

Saul’s heart jumped—but his face showed only fear.

“Begin,” the apprentice drawled, pointing toward the black crystal ball on the left.

But Saul obediently reached for the paintbrush used for elemental testing.

Before the apprentice could speak, Saul gripped the brush tightly and quickly drew a shaky circle on the white paper.

The freshly drawn circle was black.

Saul set the brush down and held his breath.

The apprentice didn't look pleased, but after squinting for a moment, he didn’t say anything.

The black circle slowly changed, displaying many colors.
The longest streak, about the size of a pinky finger, was still black.

Other parts glowed red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, gold, and white—every color at once.

“Hah,” the apprentice let out a laugh. “A bit greedy, aren’t you?”

Saul understood he was being mocked, but only lowered his head in fake fear.

“Dark element. As for the rest... I can’t even tell what’s second. Nick, just write whatever you want.”

The man called Nick nodded and wrote:
“Dark Element, Light Element.” 

The wizard apprentice—Saul was now sure this was the "Syd" mentioned in the book—laughed loudly. 

“Two opposing elements? You're really just guessing now, huh?”

Nick stayed silent.

Saul then reached for the wooden doll to begin the spiritual test.

He stared into the doll’s hollow eyes.

From the corner of his eye, he monitored the doll’s movements.

“Help me, help me, help me…”

A string of whispers began echoing in Saul’s ears—fast, quiet, and strangely compelling.

The more he listened, the more the voices blurred, and the content began to change:

“Help me, help me… kill me… kill me… help me…”

Saul felt his head spinning.

“Alright, that’s enough.”

Syd’s low voice sounded in his ear.

But Saul didn’t stop—he let his mind fully sink into the whispers.

“Enough! Do you have a death wish?”

Startled, Saul snapped out of it and jerked his head up.

He first glanced at the wooden doll—its hands were raised in the air.

Then he looked at Syd, who was now standing and glaring furiously.

And just before Syd could speak again—

Saul’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed in a faint.

---

(End of Chapter)

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