Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Russell was in great pain.

His teacher’s personality, really unpredictable.

Initially, he always thought Gilbert was a bit extreme due to past experiences, but how could an extreme person come up with making apprentices copy life mottos as a form of punishment!

But this also made him a sigh of relief internally.

Even if Gilbert intends to take risks after he becomes an official mage, it seems he has a firm grasp on how to overcome the hurdles.

How should I put it... if before it was certain death, now, according to Russell’s own judgment, even if the adventure fails, it wouldn’t pose a life-threatening risk.

This is good, at least after entering Sia Tower, he and Carpenter have someone to rely on.

If you say before, Russell thought becoming just an official mage was enough, after entering the Tower of Dark Enigma and especially seeing West’s performance, the young boy really understood the mage world was far more harsh than he imagined.

If Gilbert truly has any misfortune, even if Carpenter became an official mage, the hope of them protecting the family or moving the family to Sia Tower would be utterly dim.

Russell turned his head and glanced at Carpenter who was burying her head copying in the rest room.

Their time was actually quite tight; to make the copying more standardized, they could only use the break time.

These days, Russell could always see the anxious expressions on the reckless bunch in the opposite tower... Carpenter wrote particularly slowly, she hadn’t even had a chance to lift her head.

He pondered for a while, then softly called out to his sister: ”Carpenter, you’re already a high-level apprentice, so, did you learn the third illusion?”

It’s just a pity his sister didn’t manage to advance before turning 16, missed it by just a few days.

Otherwise, Carpenter could have directly switched her identity from apprentice to official.

Now, she has to wait until she becomes an official mage to change her identity tag... luckily, the Magic Tower distributes resources based on level, not whether one paid to enter.

Of course, among the ones who did pay to enter, it seems only Carpenter from their family advanced.

”Learned it, these days according to the teacher’s guidance, combining universal series spells with illusion element spells, it does indeed feel a little different.

Hmm... especially the magic tricks, the more proficient they get, the deeper the understanding of the sound illusion technique seems to be.

I feel my spiritual power has also increased a lot.

Lately, I’ve been looking into enchantment department’s daze spell.

Some things the teacher said, although different magic systems, the links between them are intricate... concerning that, I seem to have had some realization!

Brother Russell, were it not for the teacher’s high requirement on our spiritual power purity, we would’ve advanced by now.”

Russell shook his head: ”Don’t be impulsive because of those outside troubles, you know?

Think about Mage Wester who came over a couple of days ago, his status is actually similar to ours, even slightly better.

Although he doesn’t have a family behind him, there isn’t any pressure either.

But you see... his reverence for the teacher isn’t because of Archmage Ruth.”

”After entering the Tower of Dark Enigma, only then did we know what kind of person our teacher really is.” Carpenter suddenly rolled her eyes, ”If 20, no, even 10 years ago, our family had some talented individuals appeared, the Hainarson family wouldn’t be in this position.

Actually, the longer I spend with the teacher, the more I understand Ulrich’s sentiment of always clashing with the clan elders.”

Back then, when Ulrich’s father was still present, watching his own younger brother suffer in such a manner, the elder brother, realizing his children’s talents weren’t remarkable and the family couldn’t find a few capable ones, actually suggested the family spend money to raise some outsiders... they didn’t need to be particularly good to the family, just having offspring with apprentices would suffice.

They could completely see those people off with respect, they didn’t have to raise the children... the other side ignoring them too would be the best result.

And although the Hainarson family would have to devote some resources as a result, including Gilbert’s connections... Hainarson family couldn’t handle individuals whose talents were good enough to independently enter the Magic Tower; they could only choose those just slightly lacking.

Generally speaking, such children had adequate talents but due to their living conditions, their physical foundation wasn’t strong enough to withstand rapid spiritual power advancement... it only required a single standard physical potion.

Especially some female apprentices.

Though this sounds unpleasant, for female apprentices from impoverished families, physique truly is a hurdle.

This world’s environment is somewhat too harsh for girls... no matter how poor a family is, they wouldn’t abandon a qualified child, regardless of gender, but they can’t provide sufficient nourishment.

Girls with naturally slightly weaker physiques need to exert more effort than usual to match men’s physical attributes.

Spiritual power can indeed supplement some physical needs to a certain extent, but this means, to become high-level apprentices, they must be stronger than their male counterparts.

Thus, most female apprentices in the Magic Tower come from good backgrounds.

While those with decent aptitude, yet due to various reasons can’t enter the Magic Tower, choose to marry early.

Though it can be seen as a good ending for female apprentices from poor backgrounds, at least she and her future children wouldn’t have to endure the miserable life, but... if given a chance, who truly can accept such unavoidable fate?

Therefore, if the Hainarson family were really willing to give such offers, surely many such apprentices would be willing to accept, especially decades ago, when the Tower of Dark Enigma was declining but not as fallen.

Though Magic Towers generally don’t favor those who took potions before becoming high-level apprentices, the situation in the Tower of Dark Enigma made the physical potion a bit ambiguous... otherwise, such mage families wouldn’t always produce complying standard mages.

During aptitude tests, whether a physical potion pass is negotiable.

But this negotiation depends on who speaks it.

Back then, Gilbert indeed had the ability and intention.

Unfortunately, the Hainarson family members were still a bit short-sighted... they thought their family would always produce talented children.

Gilbert’s talent, in fact, is considered decent; surely their family wouldn’t only yield one, right?

Back then, the prodigy at the Defense Tower, wasn’t he also from their Hainarson family?

Sadly, over decades, only Gilbert appeared.

Ultimately only Russell came.

Had luck not hit rock bottom, their Hainarson family was truly facing extinction.

Ulrich’s father passed away so early, was actually related to this matter... watching his brother struggle so hard at the Magic Tower, and those family members only thinking of themselves, utterly disregarding Gilbert’s agony, the old gentleman was genuinely mentally and physically exhausted.

The family members did regret later, but 10 years ago, the Tower of Dark Enigma saw even apprentices with decent qualifications taken directly by tower mages; they had no chance to interfere.

And Gilbert visibly had estrangements with his family over those matters, Ulrich wouldn’t pass on every word to the family... the sole benefit from this matter was Russell and Carpenter, children with some aptitude, growing up cherished.

Russell hesitantly looked outside, softly saying: ”Teacher’s instructions should be followed, but we must seize the time.

Lately, the Tower of Dark Enigma’s atmosphere is uncomfortable; it’s best if we all become official mages sooner.”

”Is it me that doesn’t want to?” Carpenter rolled her eyes again, ”Stop overthinking and let’s get past the study hurdle first!”