Throughout the entire winter, Malin had lived a routine life: getting up in the morning to eat breakfast made by Maya, taking Maya to the Church for lessons, and then returning home in the evening. Malin would cook two dishes for dinner, which he shared with Maya and the girl who came over for a free meal.
When Faye was around, Malin would discuss the content of novels with him and also talk about issues related to spell formations, usually sharing his insights on casting. In terms of learning, Malin was completely a natural talent; he just had to look at a spell formation once, remember it, and he would be able to use it.
Faye said that just these nine words were enough to infuriate almost all casters on the entire continent.
To this, Malin admitted he was powerless because it truly was a talent; he could only say that his paternal bloodline made him a genius in spells.
If Jessica was around, Malin would take her to the third floor—since the unlucky third-floor tenant had died, Malin had rented the third floor from the landlady, transformed it a bit, and included it within the protective range of the array, using it as a small training ground. On the third floor, Malin would load himself with curses and then spar with Jessica.
Malin wouldn’t strike back, only focus on defense. It could be said that Jessica’s combat skills were indeed very talented; she was one of the few apprentices who could make Malin put his spirit into it. Of course, she was the only one in the fifth grade; all the other apprentices were at least in the seventh or eighth grade.
Under Malin’s guidance, the wolf girl progressed quickly, and Malin also gained something—learning how to evenly match someone of almost the same strength in a low-power state.
This would be helpful to Malin if he encountered another giant or someone with abnormal strength in the future.
Clovis didn’t come by much; she preferred her laboratory and the Mage Tower, though sometimes she stayed overnight here as well, sleeping with Maya. Honestly, Malin felt more pity for Clovis—pity for her past and background. For Malin, Clovis sometimes seemed more like his own shadow.
Both were orphans in the practical sense, both were adopted, both struggled to survive in the world.
The only difference was that the girl really smelled nice, whereas he was just a smelly man.
This caused Malin some regret, but no matter what, this fragrant little Toby Bunny Girl was, like a cat, proud, aloof, yet lonely.
Also, Malin swore he’d never looked at any dangerous picture books.
Last was Lillim; this little lamb had spent almost the entire winter here. Her family was well aware of this but never came looking for her, which made Malin sigh at the simple customs of Carterburg while also quite liking the little lamb’s tail—short, like Clovis’s.
Wait a second, is my aesthetic sense a bit twisted?
Malin scratched his head, looking at the artwork on the wall. He was here today to meet old Hoffman, who said he found Malin a trial.
What kind of trial it was not said, which made Malin curious—now was the tail end of winter. Spirits were either hibernating outside or being sneaky in the city. After all, in this season when humans stay indoors, any foolhardy spirit only had one standard procedure: an untimely death.
"By the way, Colin, why does this guy seem like someone owes him money?" Malin had always been curious about this guy in the painting, said to be his senior brother, but who had joined the army early and was lovingly killing Chaos up north. His knowledge of him was only that the guy was somewhat formidable, and he had a sour expression as if Malin owed him money.
"Mason would be so helpless if he heard you say that; his face just looks that way, nothing to be done," Colin explained with a laugh: "By the way, you’ve kept your trial very confidential. I even asked the instructor, and he wouldn’t tell me."
"Is that so... I’m a bit curious now," Malin pursed his lips and glanced towards old Hoffman’s office, just in time to see his own instructors open the door.
Following this was old Hoffman’s resounding scolding, "Malin wants to learn, and you dare to teach! He now knows even five-ring spells! If anything happens to him! I’ll hang you from the top of the grand Church!"
"You’ve learned five-ring spells now?" Colin looked at his junior with a face that seemed to behold a walking on its hind legs.
"Yeah, Faye knows the six-ring spells already, and I couldn’t recognize all the five-ring ones. It would be so embarrassing to say it out loud," Malin replied, skirting around the issue.
"Faye is three years older than you," Colin rolled his eyes: "You’ll only be twelve after this spring."
"Malin! Come in!" old Hoffman’s call interrupted the conversation between the two brothers, and Malin trotted into the office, first giving the old man a smile—old Hoffman was known for his cold exterior but warm heart; giving him a smile meant that even if he threw Malin out of the tower into the lake, he would add a little feather to the fall.
Considering the lake was frozen over this season, if the fall wasn’t right and he wrenched his neck, that would be quite the trouble.
"Today’s trial is a joint mission with the Church of Justice; their side will give you the mission briefing, take my token and go to the Holy Temple of Justice to find that old coot."
Catching the Holy Emblem thrown by old Hoffman, Malin gave the old man a sweet smile.
"You little rascal, get going, I might end up tossing you out the window if I can’t contain my anger," the old man jokingly scolded Malin to leave.
So, without another word, Malin waved and quickly beat a retreat.