"Adam, calm down! Think about what you're... doing?" Elliott shouted, but saw that Adam was simply standing by the door.
"I can't get in," Adam muttered.
As soon as he said this, everyone was stunned. Adam spent next to no time at the first door, but they didn't think that he wouldn't be able to get through the second door.
"What do you mean? You got through the first door in no time!" James exclaimed.
Seeing the scene before him, Korver slipped away. He wasn't familiar with them, but he knew who Elliott was. He was his pharmacy instructor the previous year.
He glanced at Adam and felt a little puzzled. According to his understanding, the first door is the most difficult door for apprentices to pass; as for the second door, his father had already detected his affinity since young, so the second door was incredibly easy for him.
"His name... Adam... sounds familiar..." Korver muttered to himself.
Adam turned to James and shook his head, "The first door was easy, but the second door... I don't know what I want to do."
"Sorry, let me take my leave first," Adam said, rising from the ground and hovering towards his laboratory.
Everyone else returned to the bar. Korver sat by the bar with his friends as realisation washed over him, "Adam! I know him!"
His partner looked at him with a weird look and asked, "Korver? What did you say?"
"The apprentice stuck at the door -- he is Adam! He's the one who invented that new meditation method!"
...
Adam returned to the laboratory and holed himself up in his room.
It seems that, in the past year, he has missed out on a lot of things. He was far ahead of the pack previously, but now, he has fallen behind.
Even William was able to get in the bar.
However, he knew that he wouldn't be able to solve his problem for a while. His damaged soul reduced his control over systems, and he was unable to multitask various operations in the background, causing his efficiency to drop significantly.
There was always a solution to his problems in the wizarding world, thankfully.
As long as he is able to afford it, there will be someone who can help him.
Adam came to the Task Hall and walked up to the 2nd floor.
The first floor is reserved for apprentice-level tasks, while the second floor is reserved for mages. Adam believes his questions will be answered here.
Out of fear of mages, apprentices would not come to the second floor unless absolutely necessary. Mages do not have the need to receive tasks in person either, so the second floor was deserted.
Adam walked towards the centre of the second floor, where a device was fixed on a pedestal, mimicking a computer.
Adam peered at it, then placed his identity certificate within the system. His personal information and power stone balance was displayed clearly on the screen.
"Apprentice Adam. State your business."
"I request to be analyzed by a qualified mage to re-verify my affinity in terms of magic, in addition to explaining and providing guidance regarding my research path."
Adam stated his request clearly in order to avoid any loopholes.
Otherwise, a mage might take advantage of him.
The device uploaded the mission, then deducted the posting fee from his account, "Your task has been uploaded."
Adam exited the Task Hall. The rewards for the task needed to be negotiated with the mage later on, but Adam didn't really worry over the price.
After Adam returned to the laboratory, William and the others had already returned. They glanced at Adam, not sure how to approach him.
The devil popped up in Adam's mind, and said with a seductive voice, "Master, it seems like you are facing some troubles. That's right -- if you don't know your path, how would you become a mage?"
"Impossible," Adam replied.
"And how are you so sure, master? Even if you are able to find a way, your damaged soul remains a problem. Consider signing a contract with me -- I am nature's will of life, but a near infinite lifespan. You'll have plenty of time to find your path," the devil offered.
"Funny," Adam replied, whipping the devil through the contract.
At this time, there was a knock on Adam's door. The devil opened the door for Adam, and William was outside, "Adam, someone is looking for you."
Adam opened the door to the laboratory and found an alchemy puppet outside, "Apprentice Adam, your task has been accepted by Mage Jino. Within two days, go to Laboratory 5 on the 3rd floor of the Elemental Laboratory Building."
Adam didn't expect his task to be accepted that fast, much less that it was accepted by Mage Jino.
"Mage Jino... he was the one who saved you last time," William reminded.
Adam suddenly realised that he should have gone to express his thanks towards Mage Jino, but Elliott disrupted his schedule. Now, he will do it all in one go.
...
The laboratories in the Elemental Laboratory Building are all highly advanced laboratories owned by qualified mages. Ordinary apprentices do not have the authority to enter this wing of the building, other than exceptions like Adam. Magic permeated the air, suffocating Adam.
After verifying his identity multiple times along the way, Adam arrived at Mage Jino's laboratory. As soon as Adam touched the door, the door flung open.
"Apprentice Adam! We meet again," Mage Jino greeted, swinging around in his seemingly high-tech chair.
"Thank you for rescuing me, Mage Jino," Adam bowed slightly.
Mage Jino waved his hand, letting an alchemy puppet hand Adam a bill, "Now, Adam, as per mage tradition, you know it isn't for free."
Adam took the bill and found that there were two copies in total. One was empty, so it must be the payment that was to be settled after this task; the other read: ten complete units of ether crystals or equivalent.