Abelle took a deep breath before speaking, “She’s one of the most renowned wizards in the southern region. It has nothing to do with her beautiful look, but… she was famous for her cruelty, bloodthirst, and brutal ways of slaughtering people. She had fought many battles which were written down in history. For example…”
Angor was also shocked at Abelle’s explanation. The playful woman in his memory possessed such terrible fame?
“As for the difference between her and Mister Fantase… I don’t know. I’m just a lowly apprentice…”
Nausica nodded. She had developed an admiration toward Flora. A woman made a name for herself which could scare everyone in the south… that sounded amazing!
“Is Lady Flora a Bloodline Wizard too?” Nausica asked.
“No. Lady Flora is an Occultist, but I don’t know which branch exactly,” Abelle answered.
Nausica frowned. Her test suggested Bloodline, and she hoped to receive teaching from a Bloodline Wizard. Still, as a woman, she also wished Flora to be her tutor… It was a hard choice.
However, Nausica was never someone to be hesitant over such matters. She quickly went over it in her mind before she discarded unnecessary wishes and decided who to choose.
Nausica put Flora’s card back to the disk and left the table with Fantase’s card.
…
With Nausica taking the lead, the remaining talents all placed their bone cards on the disk one by one.
Maybe Abelle’s words were true and that there were too few new recruits. Every bone card brought posters.
“This is Mister Wallace, an authoritative academism wizard…”
“This is Lady Fiery Charm, an Elementalist!”
Abelle explained their tutors one by one. Fosah also received a poster from ‘Grass Snail’ Fantase. Sailum accepted a poster from ‘Philosopher of Night’ Kaylar, which surprised both Abelle and the apprentices who were watching them, again.
Abelle only gave them a brief introduction about Kaylar. The reaction from the onlookers proved that Kaylar was not an ordinary figure.
Next, Hookdick inserted his bone card.
A square card which shone with golden light appeared in the disk.
“This is—a golden poster!” Abelle and all the apprentices around them yelled out.
“Which wizard?! Someone took in a personal pupil!”
“Bah! The strongest one during my term turned into a wizard even though he started as an average new talent. It was all because he received one of these!”
“Isn’t this thing an invitation to become a formal wizard?!”
They all heard the whispers. The talents did not know what a golden poster was, but at least they could deduce from the apprentices’ conversation that this poster was really valuable. They all looked at Hookdick with jealous looks. Even Sailum, who usually acted calm, revealed some emotion as he said, “Gods must be blind. Why give the poster to such an asshole?”
Their admiration greatly satisfied Hookdick’s self-ego. The man puffed up his chest and took the golden poster in a proud manner. Then he looked down at Angor and made a throat-slitting gesture.
Angor sneered and remained plain. Before Hookdick could say something sarcastic, someone interrupted him by asking a question.
“What is a golden poster? Why are you all so… surprised?”
Hookdick also wanted to know it, so he paid attention to the question instead of taunting Angor.
Without waiting for Abelle’s explanation, one of the apprentices around them spoke first, “The other professor posters you took cannot guarantee a place under the tutor. You’re only their apprentices. The wizard might teach you something when he or she feels happy, but most time you’re only lackeys who do their chores. See your bone cards? The tutor name is blank.
“But a golden poster is only given by someone who decides to take a pupil for real. In other words, you’re the wizard’s real student. He will train you as best as he can. That’s why we call this thing ‘an invitation to a formal wizard’ because a wizard will make sure you become one! Also, this is when the tutor name on your bone card will show his name.”
They all took out their bone cards to check.
Just as he said, there was nothing written under “tutor name” even though they had already received their professor posters.
As those people discussed and compared their cards, Angor sat away silently and looked at his card.
[Tutor: Sunders]
Seeing how everyone looked so disappointed, Angor quickly put away his card.
“Mine is blank too,” said Sailum as he approached him. He then asked in frustration, “Hey what about yours, Angor?”
“Oh… It’s in my pocket. We’re all the same anyway. Hehehe…”
Sailum looked unconvinced. Angor quickly pointed at Hookdick, “I wonder which wizard wanted a personal student. Look, he’s showing us the name.”
Hookdick checked his card, kept everyone hanging for a bit, and slowly said, “Nissa Bella.”
“Nissa Bella?”
“Who is that? Never heard of it.”
People discussed among each other.
“A new wizard maybe?”
“I don’t think so. There are only a few who are about to break through their bottleneck and I don’t see this name among them.”
Abelle walked to Hookdick and looked at his card.
Then she covered her mouth and chuckled, “Ahaha—ouch, my stomach… It’s not Nissa Bella. This is Mister Ness!”
“Mister Ness?”
“‘Deadman’s Redemption’ Ness Byron?!”
Abelle nodded, “Yup, that Occult Soul Manipulator!”
“So, Mister Ness took him in. Who the hell was Nissa Bella anyway? Hey you, lucky guy. Don’t tell me you can’t read?” The jealous apprentices began to show some contempt at Hookdick.
Hookdick looked like someone nearing his thirties and he still did not know how to read? He would not achieve much even if a wizard was his mentor.