Chapter 128: Chapter 127: Apprentice of the White Stone Tower
Richard was sitting in the living room of his residence, having a conversation with Gro. Meanwhile, Pandora sat in a chair, bored and swinging her legs back and forth, swinging and swinging…
“So, it turns out that it wasn’t a real wizard who came, but a wizard apprentice,” Richard said, looking toward Gro.
“Uh, indeed it was a wizard apprentice, but I heard that he’s a third-level apprentice, extremely close to becoming an official wizard,” Gro emphasized.
“Even so, sending just an apprentice to recruit students seems a bit contemptuous, doesn’t it?” Richard furrowed his brow slightly.
“Actually, I’ve managed to find some explanation.”
“Generally speaking, when a wizard organization comes to select students, they anchor their large ship at sea and travel to the end of the Jade River in a medium-sized boat. Then, they head downstream and go ashore in some of the larger cities along the coast to pick students. But this time, due to some special circumstances in Cuijin City, they noticed something. So during the process of moving upstream, they sent a wizard apprentice ahead of time to investigate some matters.
That is to say, the wizard apprentice who came wasn’t here to select students, but for other tasks. Once he completes his tasks, the real wizard will arrive and officially pick the students.”
“What exactly is going on in Cuijin City that made them send a wizard apprentice to investigate first?” Richard asked with some confusion. “As far as I know, Cuijin City seems quite peaceful on the surface, right?”
Gro smirked, “It appears peaceful on the surface, but it’s all because it has been suppressed by the officials. There are some things you can’t hide from me, so I’m quite aware of them. In recent months, Cuijin City has actually been in chaos, with people panicking. Several families have been subjected to mysterious attacks, and some shops have suffered from mysterious thefts, experiencing heavy losses. By the way, do you remember the jewelry store where we went to buy the ruby a few months ago?”
“Of course I remember,” Richard nodded, with the image of the nearly sixty-year-old jewelry store owner with white hair quickly coming to his mind.
“His shop was also robbed, they say the losses were severe, it made him so angry his hair turned red,” Gro said.
Angry enough to turn his hair red? Shouldn’t it have turned white? What kind of principle is that?
Richard thought to himself without vocalizing, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Gro and said, “Even so, it seems like it’s still Cuijin City’s problem. You’re a member of the Royal Family and the Jade Kingdom’s officials aren’t worried, so why should the wizard organization be concerned? Why investigate?”
“Because these incidents are indeed strange,” Gro spoke mysteriously. “It’s said that whether it’s murder or theft, the methods used aren’t those of ordinary people, but… spells. It looks like it was done by a wizard apprentice or a wizard. Moreover, most of these incidents appear targeted at this wizard organization. Initially, many power holders in Cuijin City had connections with this organization, but now most have been attacked, and even those who haven’t suffered attacks are terrified.”
“Is that so…” Richard’s eyes shimmered, “It sounds like it’s specifically a retaliation against this wizard organization.”
“However…” Richard changed his tone, “Even so, it should still only concern the wizard organization that’s coming, right? It shouldn’t have anything to do with me. After all, the wizard apprentice who came has tasks to carry out, not to pick students, so there’s no point in seeking him out.”
“How can there be no point?” Gro spoke, “Although he’s here to carry out tasks, he’s still a member of the wizard organization. Maybe for some ordinary tests, we’ll need to wait for the real wizard to arrive, but I can use some connections now, and others will do the same, to have him help test some talents in the meantime.”
“Yes, test talents,” Gro nodded. “Some wizard organizations place great importance on talent. Only those with higher talent and younger age will be selected and taken to the continent. Those who don’t qualify will have to stay.”
“I see,” Richard squinted, though in his heart, he already had an estimate. His talent had been tested before, completely nonexistent, which is why he resorted to using scientific methods to decipher Life Remolding three times.
“If we were to go for the test , we would probably be disqualified immediately. However… experiencing it wouldn’t hurt. After all, besides the deceased Mysterious Wizard clad with an Iron Ring, he hadn’t really come into contact with anyone else from the current Wizard World. Understanding more about other Wizard Apprentices, Wizards, and Wizard Organizations could never do harm—it would help clarify the entirety of the Wizard World more swiftly.”
“So, Lord Richard, do you want to go for the early test?” Gro asked, “If you’d like, I can arrange it for you. Uh, actually it’s them who scheduled it, so it’s best not to miss it. Otherwise, there won’t be another chance.”
“Is that so…” Richard inquired, “When is it?”
“Tomorrow afternoon,” Gro said promptly.
“Then I might take a look,” Richard nodded, “Besides, there’s something else I want to know.”
“What is the name of their Wizard Organization?”
“It seems to be called…” Gro frowned in thought, slightly uncertain as he spoke, “White Stone Tower.”
“White Stone Tower?” Richard murmured softly.
The next day, in the afternoon.
In front of a certain inn in Cuijin City, a carriage arrived and stopped, with Richard and Gro alighting from it.
Richard glanced at the name of the inn—Golden Wine Glass Inn—a famously lively place within Cuijin City, which was unusually quiet today.
This was somewhat abnormal.
Richard furrowed his brows as Gro explained, “This is where the Third level Apprentice of the White Stone Tower has stayed. He has booked the entire inn, driving out all the original residents.”
Richard raised his brows, “No one objected?”
“What good would objecting do against a Third-level Wizard Apprentice? Do they want to be frozen into ice cubes or burnt to ashes?” Gro spoke, his voice not filled with much sympathy for the victims, but rather a hint of yearning for such reckless power.
After all, as a prince, he generally wouldn’t drive everyone out of an inn, not daring to be so frivolous, but a Third-level Wizard Apprentice did dare. Doesn’t that mean a Third-lever Wizard Apprentice already surpasses him, a Prince? What about a real Wizard? Even more advanced Wizards?
Thinking all this, Gro felt an intense stir in his heart, almost wishing to sit right down and meditate, then instantly advance to become the most powerful Wizard. As for what to do after becoming a Wizard, truthfully, he hadn’t given it serious thought. But that didn’t matter; becoming a Wizard could never be wrong. It was like, someone might not know how to spend money after becoming rich, but having money couldn’t possibly be a bad thing, could it?
Beside him, Richard did not know what Gro was thinking and merely shook his head slightly, then stepped towards the inn.
As he was about to enter, he was stopped. A beautiful girl of about seventeen or eighteen with golden hair stood inside the door, her gaze wary as she spoke, “Who are you… If you want to meet… Lord Hua’er this afternoon, you must have an invitation letter.”