Chapter 60: The Strongest Second-Level Combatant
Monroe let out a long sigh.
Saul was still waiting for Monroe to continue speaking, but the latter only intended to answer the second question with what he had already said.
When Saul pressed further, Monroe simply stated that it was not something Saul should be concerned with at the moment.
The hourglass was nearly empty.
Saul quickly asked, "Who is currently the strongest second-level apprentice in terms of combat ability in the Wizard Tower?"
Monroe smiled. "As of now, the one recognized as the most formidable in combat is a second-level apprentice named Kongsha, who specializes in dark elemental magic. Unfortunately, being the strongest doesn't necessarily mean she has the best chance of advancing to the third level."
As Monroe finished speaking, the last grain of blue sand fell through the hourglass.
"Time's up. Would you like to extend the session?" Monroe asked, holding the small hourglass as if preparing to flip it over again.
But Saul shook his head. He thanked Monroe and turned back to his seat.
Monroe, somewhat disinterested, dispelled his magic, put away the hourglass, and continued reading his book.
On his way back, Saul passed by the long table where Duke and Doze were sitting, but he did not see Rocky.
When Saul looked in their direction, both Duke and Doze instinctively avoided his gaze.
Upon sitting down, Saul noticed Keli looking at him, so he decided to share some information.
"One credit for five minutes, and you can ask confidential questions—but that'll cost an extra credit… assuming you trust him to keep it confidential."
Keli frowned. "Still too expensive. Why not just ask your mentor?"
Saul looked at Keli in confusion. "Do you see your mentor often?"
Keli responded, "Not that often—maybe once every three or four days."
Saul was speechless. Every three or four days? Sometimes he wouldn't see Mentor Kaz for over ten days.
And whether Kaz was willing to answer questions depended entirely on his mood and schedule.
As for the other mentor who had secretly guided him before—the one who could barely be considered a mentor—Saul had only met him twice.
After class, Saul originally planned to attend the meditation session with Keli, but when he caught a glimpse of Doze and Duke walking in the opposite direction, he hesitated and decided to skip meditation for now.
Keli was in the middle of complaining about how many people had strange habits during meditation when she suddenly realized that Saul had disappeared again.
She rolled her eyes in frustration.
On the sixth floor of the West Tower, in the dormitory area, Saul passed by the doors of rooms 613 and 614.
Doze seemed about to knock on a door but quickly turned back toward room 613 upon spotting Saul.
Saul glanced at the door—room 614 belonged to Rocky.
"Did Rocky hide in his room ever since I scared him off yesterday? Doesn't he have anyone backing him? Or was it really just about love?"
Saul's life as an apprentice was quite different from the others. Apart from studying, he had no enjoyable pastimes—only corpses, stale blood, and occasionally restless souls.
So he couldn't quite understand why a young boy would risk his life for a girl.
"Maybe people in this world mature faster."
Saul returned to his room but then reconsidered. He left his door slightly ajar and peeked toward room 614.
He didn't see Doze going to find Rocky, but instead saw Duke stepping out of Rocky’s room.
"Duke, why are you everywhere?" Saul narrowed his eyes.
After leaving Rocky’s room, Duke didn’t return to his own dorm. Instead, he walked toward the end of the hallway and ascended the ramp.
Before going up, Duke glanced around, as if checking for anyone following him.
Since the ramp was completely open with no cover, Saul naturally wouldn't follow directly.
But he already had a good guess as to whom Duke was going to meet.
Late at night, Saul left his dorm and climbed upstairs.
The Wizard Tower at night remained eerily cold, with dim candlelight illuminating only small patches of the surroundings.
When Saul had been a servant, he always feared that something sinister would emerge from the darkness beyond the candlelight.
Even now, as an apprentice, he still felt uneasy about those shadowy corners.
Upon reaching the tenth floor, he paused momentarily.
In the hallway, a shadow seemed to be lingering, but when he looked more closely, there was nothing there.
He didn't dwell on it and quickened his pace, heading straight to the thirteenth floor.
Knocking on Kongsha's door, it opened almost immediately—she had likely been expecting him.
"Sid is making his move," Saul said bluntly as soon as the door closed behind him.
"Are you sure? Attacking a second-level apprentice without cause inside the Wizard Tower is a serious offense. Everything here belongs to… the Tower Master." Kongsha took a shaky breath, as if even mentioning that name filled her with fear. "Have you considered the consequences of attacking the wrong person?"
Saul replied, "I understand. The rules are clear."
An apprentice who kills a servant without reason loses credits. An apprentice who kills another apprentice without reason is skinned and loses credits. Hurting a mentor without reason allows the mentor to punish the apprentice as they see fit.
"But all these rules are based on the premise of 'without cause.' If I'm resisting and accidentally kill Sid, then it won't be unjustified."
Seeing Kongsha purse her lips without replying, Saul spread his hands. "Senior, Sid has already manipulated two newcomers around me. His next move will be lethal. Can you really stand by and watch me fall into his trap?"
After all, he was a chess piece painstakingly placed in the morgue.
Even if that chess piece had gone rogue.
Saul made his voice sound as sincere as possible. "Let's stick to the plan. You get a second-level apprentice’s brain, and I get rid of an enemy."
Kongsha's lips curled into a smirk. She leaned back into her chair, absentmindedly twirling her foot in the air.
"Tell me your plan in detail."
Saul exhaled slightly—step two of his plan was a success!
He began connecting the dots between his recent experiences and Sid’s movements.
Some of it was speculation.
But Saul didn’t need to confirm whether his guesses were true or false. As long as Sid showed up at the last moment, that was enough.
"He first contacted a girl named Jenna, who had attended a meeting of the Mutual Aid Society… You’ve heard of it, right?"
Kongsha nodded.
Even Kongsha knew about the Mutual Aid Society. Its influence might be bigger than Saul had imagined.
"That newcomer discovered the parasites of the Mutual Aid Society and sought my help—but she exploded right in front of me."
Kongsha touched her lips. "The Mutual Aid Society’s parasites aren’t lethal. That explosion wasn’t their doing."
"That’s what I thought too. And the explosion was small. Even if I hadn't been cautious, I likely wouldn’t have died from it." Saul looked down, recalling how Jenna had gazed at him with hopeful eyes just before the explosion.
He refocused. "So, I believe Jenna’s death wasn’t the final trick. And sure enough, a few days later, a boy named Rocky came to me, searching for Jenna."
"Did he die too?"
"No, but he disappeared for a few days. And because he’s still alive, I believe he’ll return to find me again. When he does, that will be when Sid makes his move."
Kongsha stopped fiddling with her lips. "Why not just kill him, since you know he’s working for Sid?"
"A known enemy is easier to deal with than an unknown one," Saul explained. "Sid is cautious—he never acts directly. All his dirty work is done through others. But now, I’ve angered him, and my strength is growing quickly. He won’t risk failing again."
"He will show up to ensure his plan succeeds."
In fact, Saul was sure that Sid would show up because he was sure that the other party would come to look for the Diary of the Dead Wizard in order to avoid being picked up by passers-by.
But nothing in the diary can be leaked
Comments
Post a Comment