Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Felis smiled wryly: ”You’ll become an official mage earlier than me. Is there something that needs to shock me?

I’ve suddenly got the potential for advancement, but I can’t even accurately determine where to start progressing... If I can advance faster than you, am I not courting death?”

He hasn’t spent all those days in the Tower of Dark Enigma for nothing. There are various books for apprentices to read, and he has carefully read even the apprentice manuals that Rolando casually tossed him.

Even if the mages in this world don’t fully understand issues related to mage traits, they know the first spell engraved in the mental sea greatly impacts their future when becoming an official mage.

Most apprentices start considering what spell to use as their foundation after entering high-level. Felis has also fantasized about it in the midnight dreamland... Even though he knows his future is destined to be a tragedy, he can’t control this utmost humble desire.

But at that time, the most splendid dream couldn’t achieve today’s result!

One who only dares to fantasize about magic from the Universal Series or prophecy system... which are identified as reading techniques... who would have thought one day might suddenly spring forth to have battle series talents!

Though Felis originally planned to construct his mental sea directly using the frost ray, after all, it’s the only spell in the 0-ring.

Although he also converted this spell into other forms due to his talents, actually he just added a few runes to the frost ray, and it’s not quite stable... one can tell from the old broken, patched-up icy chunks he often needs to supplement.

Thus, Felis initially wanted to play it safe.

However, a while back when Russell came, the hints between his words hit home.

Felis certainly trusts Russell more, who has successfully advanced and appears powerful, over the common knowledge spread through books for ordinary apprentices.

Although there is discontent with the Hainarson Clan, all the children have to admit... the family indeed etched a deep imprint in their hearts: As long as there isn’t any conflict or betrayal among them, and they’re clearly on the same side, their trust in each other remains high.

Perhaps, over time, having seen too much darkness outside, this trust might begin to fade, until it becomes void.

But during the stage when they’re still young, the trust in each other’s hearts is even firmer than their trust in family.

From the day they’re confirmed as having mage aptitude... family love inevitably mixes with desires that sensitive people find hard to accept, and even complex feelings of jealousy and resentment.

People of the Hainarson clan, especially these few, whose parents have mage aptitude albeit weak, actually count themselves lucky, they only feel distressed by siblings who completely lack aptitude and cannot control their emotions.

Yet their parents understand, the more excellent one’s aptitude, the more they feel such hostility... Whether for themselves or for those children, they try to control their attitudes as much as possible.

Those who can’t control it naturally gradually disappear from their sight... But when such a situation arises, those siblings who manage to control themselves also start harboring fear.

As their level increases, ultimately the ones left before them are only parents and some family members with mage aptitude.

Whether Russell or Carpenter, and even Felis, have come to accept this reality.

But, some children from collateral lines, it’s not only siblings displaying such behavior, sometimes even their parents can’t suppress feelings of envy, jealousy, or hatred towards these children... Indeed, they truly hate.

They hate why the aptitude they passed down isn’t theirs.

And, the spiritual power of mages allows students to quickly read these emotions overflowing from ordinary humans... Perception is a basic talent of mages.

Mages are betrayed or ambushed by other mages because a mage’s mental sea can contain their emotions and prevent others from perceiving them... Hence, struggles return to the same level, where human ingenuity regains its original position.

Of course, among mortals, there are those with extraordinary control, whose thoughts remain calm and emotionless, leaving even a mage’s high spiritual power unable to read anything... But how many such existences are there in the world?

This survival environment means that most apprentices, even if there is some contest among them... Those who truly understand, over years of interaction, naturally form a certain bond.

No matter if there were quarrels or even fights in apprentice dormitories, it never harmed each other’s bottom lines. Thus, among the Hainarson, or more accurately, under Ulrich’s relatively fair control, apprentices have high trust in each other.

This is why, when faced with so much trouble, Felis first thought of seeking help from Russell and Carpenter under Gilbert’s protection, rather than Ulrich who might lend a helping hand.

During the weakest and most helpless phase, the journey fully supported by each other leaves an everlasting mark in their hearts.

Carpenter slightly tilted his head: ”Regarding frost ray... Have you learned the spells for ice dagger and snowball spell?”

Felis was momentarily stunned: ”I know the snowball spell... I was able to transform the frost ray into its current state by using some runes from the snowball spell.

My spiritual power is still insufficient to directly cast that spell.”

”Wait a moment, I need to take a look first.” Carpenter retrieved a notebook from his ring, ”Master Gilbert gave us special book notes I can’t let you see.

Ah... This part is Archmage Ruth’s apprentice-specific records, that’s also off-limits.

Wait... Here’s a book... Russell~ Brother Russell~”

”What?” Russell, who was standing in the corner after accompanying her inside, asked helplessly.

”The magic book on the outside bookshelf, second shelf, where did it come from?”

”Hm?” Russell tilted his head slightly, ”Master Gilbert’s spoils, things of no value,

Although... hmm... if you want to show it to Felis, that’s okay.

But that book only contains simple spells and spellcasting gestures, and it’s not very standard.

Master Gilbert didn’t discard it as trash, just that book, hmm, the spells are indeed correct.”

Presumably, Gilbert intended to keep it for a young mage in the family... Elements from the Tower of Dark Enigma are not to be given loosely, but spoils like these, especially ordinary magic books without any faction marks, aren’t really taboo.

”I’ll go get it...”

”No need, I’ve copied it before.” Carpenter sheepishly scratched her head.

”That book? What caught your attention?”

”Its snowball spell isn’t for hitting people but for creating a cold environment, like cooling down in summer.

Also, he researched how to make the snowball spell transform into snowflakes spreading within a certain range.” Carpenter said mischievously, ”Although Master Gilbert marked it as not worthy of attention, when I opened the book, I saw a line he wrote on the title page.”

”What?”

”Though useless, one can have a look.” Carpenter said righteously, ”Our Master Gilbert is a man of great taste!

If he said so, it surely means it’s quite fascinating, right?”

”Indeed, it’s quite suitable for Felis.” Russell decided to steer away from the topic... He couldn’t fathom at once who annotated that phrase.

He doesn’t know Gilbert well yet, but his teacher indeed seems to enjoy such leisurely pursuits.

Carpenter quietly tore that page from the notebook and held it before Felis: ”Memorize it!

But don’t take this spell too seriously.

If you manage to integrate the traces of these spells within your current semi-ice ring spell, creating a brand new spell yourself, that would be best.”

”Like you?” Felis’s eyes remained fixed on the paper, his mouth never stopping... He had already noticed Carpenter’s aura was stronger than the Level 2 mages he had met.

”Hehe~” Carpenter didn’t say anything, but her crescent-moon shaped eyes said it all.

Russell walked over, fingers gently dancing, encasing the paper in a transparent icy shell, then directly attaching it to the top of Felis’s giant ice chunk: ”We have to go.”