Corfu Island, during the day, within the Aurelian Academy.
Dean Tongus stood in the classroom, looking at the second and third generation students who were not paying attention to the lecture at all, and let out an imperceptible sigh.
Ever since Locke, Patty, and Kode left Corfu Island for the wizard world, and Professor Alder died from the side effects of the stone crab potion, the entire Corfu Continent officially had only him left as a second-class wizard apprentice.
In this low-magic world where he could not sense even a trace of magical power in the air, Dean Tongus felt that his aging had accelerated.
No one could understand him.
No one to confide in.
In Dean Tongus's aged pupils, an even colder indifference appeared. He had absolutely no patience for the second and third generation children who were gilding themselves in this classroom.
The purpose of Aurelian Academy's existence was to select wizard prospects from this barbaric island's mortal world for the wizard world.
But now, there was temporarily not a single wizard prospect in this academy.
In low-magic worlds, the proportion that could produce wizards was still very low.
The students looked strangely at the dean leaving. They didn't understand why, starting from two years ago, the dean who had strictly demanded they attend classes seriously suddenly stopped caring about classes after Locke and the others disappeared.
He would even often leave the classroom halfway through with an indifferent expression.
However, these students themselves didn't know how much they had missed. Seeing that they didn't have to be forced to attend class, they cheered after the dean left.
Some wanted to go outside to practice swordplay, some wanted to find a place to sleep, and some started flirting with girls...
In the elegant corridor within Aurelian Academy, Dean Tongus had only walked a few steps when he suddenly heard cooing sounds from above. Looking up, his pupils contracted slightly, and his eyes showed extreme confusion.
He saw an albatross with numerous runes inscribed on its wings, flapping and flying in mid-air. The albatross also had a mail pouch hanging around its neck.
Tongus murmured to himself, "This is... a Cretan albatross, capable of flying above thundercloud layers, avoiding the dangerous Endless Mystic Sea. It's one of the few migratory birds that can cross the ocean to deliver mail."
"I remember that having a Cretan albatross deliver mail costs at least five hundred magic stones each time, extremely expensive. But Cretan albatrosses fly very fast, and delivering mail usually takes only a few days."
"But why would this migratory bird appear on Corfu Island?"
"That's Lilith's Cottage academy emblem. This Cretan albatross comes from Lilith's Cottage in the wizard world."
Dean Tongus suddenly thought of a possibility, but this possibility seemed even more absurd than suddenly seeing a Cretan albatross from the magical world.
The wizard world had an unwritten rule: whenever a wizard prospect from the mortal world became a first-class wizard apprentice, the academy would give them one benefit, a free Cretan albatross mail delivery to notify their families in the mortal world to good news together.
After all, in the wizard world, the status of a first-class wizard apprentice was already significant.
The lifelong goal of many wizard prospects was not to become formal wizards, but first-class wizard apprentices.
Becoming a first-class wizard apprentice could already bring honor to one's family.
Although having a Cretan albatross deliver mail once was quite expensive, basically all major wizard organizations would raise some of these albatrosses, so for academies, the cost wasn't very high.
Moreover, overseas mortal worlds and the southeastern quadrant had almost no possibility of information exchange.
To prevent the ridiculous situation where a first-class wizard apprentice finally advanced and held increasingly important positions within the school, only to have their family suffer persecution from secular kings and great nobles in the mortal world, academies generally arranged such notifications to avoid some short-sighted people making foolish mistakes.
But this made Dean Tongus feel even more incredulous. "But Patty and the others only left Corfu Island just over two years ago."
Dean Tongus caught a letter that the Cretan albatross dropped, then watched as the albatross flapped its wings and flew away with its mail pouch to other mortal islands.
Tongus opened the letter. "What? That child Locke Augustine is now already a first-class wizard apprentice, and also a breeding genius."
Tongus felt his hands trembling slightly, because he hadn't seen Locke for over two years, so his impression of Locke had gradually begun to fade.
But he still remembered that noble second-generation youth who had been persecuted by Professor Alder and came to him trembling, wanting to get an assignment from him.
Tongus let out a long breath, then showed genuine happiness and pride on his face. "A great person has emerged from a small place."
"Locke Augustine, he's from Corfu Island's Aurelian Academy and was once one of my students."
"Becoming a first-class wizard apprentice in two years, almost one level per year. How long will it take him to become a formal wizard?" Tongus was startled by this thought. "That would be a formal wizard. Can Locke achieve that?"
Dean Tongus quickened his pace and hurriedly left. He needed to deliver this letter to the Augustine family, Count Augustine, and his eldest sons.
At the same time, he also needed to let the Emperor of Frank see this letter.
Recently, the Frankish Empire had completely unified Corfu Island, creating an unprecedented grand empire in Corfu Island's history.
Never before had so many people of different cultures and races gathered within one country. The Frankish Empire established courts throughout the nation and began consolidating power from local nobles.
So he needed to quickly inform Emperor Frank, and Emperor Frank would know how to treat the Augustine family.
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One day later, at a small private banquet within the Augustine family.
Count Augustine proudly handed the letter from the wizard world to Gorya and drank down a large cup of wine.
Only then did Gorya realize, "No wonder my new bride has recently shown no arrogance toward me. Not only that, but these past few days she's been pleasing me daily, wanting to quickly have children with me."
"It seems the princess already knows something."
Gorya was somewhat worried about Locke. "I just don't know if my brother will encounter any danger in that wizard world. Unfortunately, I'm here, so no matter how much I worry, it's useless."
Count Augustine laughed, "Don't worry. From what I know, first-class wizard apprentices already have considerable status in the wizard world, second only to formal wizards."
"Locke already has some status in the wizard world and doesn't need our worry."
"I believe he will get better and better."
"Those royal families back then were merely descendants of wizards."
"The princess probably wants to quickly bear children with Augustine family bloodline, which would better consolidate their royal family's position."
"Thanks to that promising child Locke."
"This way, those measures the Frank royal family is taking against nobles won't fall upon our Augustine family."
Count Augustine smiled, "Julianne Frank, that adopted daughter beside Dean Tongus, tried to please me this morning and told me that the emperor wants to elevate our family to ducal status."
"Gorya, having such a brother is truly your fortune."
Gorya laughed, "Father, this is also your fortune. No, this is our Augustine family's fortune."
"With the princess being so active now, Father, you'll soon be able to hold a grandchild."
"Let's both toast to Locke!"
The two raised their cups of mellow red wine together.