Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Hill waved his hand, and the hall quickly spun around. After a dizzying movement above the platform, a lounge chair appeared again behind the desk.

Russell’s high-backed chair was moved to the front left of the desk.

Once seated, Russell could finally clearly see his teacher’s current face: it was a very Hainarson face.

Very handsome, but it always gave an intense feeling, even the very short strands of hair seemed like soft needles.

Even when Gilbert was extremely weak, people were always wary of him, and it wasn’t without reason.

But for some unknown reason, after looking for a while, Russell always managed to find a hint of gentleness on that face.

He wondered if it was because he knew it wasn’t the genuine face of the other party that he felt this, but he couldn’t help but say, ”Since the other party has ill intentions, you, teacher, may not need to go, right?”

Hill glanced at him: ”Things that can be done or not, the Archmage Ruth is generally too lazy to bother.

If I go once to complete the process, he won’t find it odd.

If I don’t go, he will at most complain a bit, but since I don’t have a good temper and dislike dealing with people, he’ll at most mention it next time we meet.

But some things, if I don’t do them, seem like it will make people... hehe... feel lucky.

Don’t they just want to see if I’m still the old Gilbert?”

”Mage Aislin, what is she trying to do?”

Russell also understood... whether Aislin sends this invitation is not the key, she’s just bringing it to the surface.

If Gilbert still can’t suppress his inner anger and plans to strike at Prutt... knowing about the meeting, no matter how unwilling, he’ll have to attend once.

After all, if he was unaware, it wouldn’t matter; no one would care if Gilbert stayed in seclusion or not.

But he is ready to deal with Prutt, and refusing to report to his mentor and acting arrogantly could be over the top.

This is an open scheme... Then Russell couldn’t help but blurt, ”She, this is, trying, to trap me?”

So surprised was he that he couldn’t even speak clearly.

If he couldn’t make up his mind on this matter, and Gilbert still wanted to stay in seclusion... then choosing to disturb him would certainly incur Gilbert’s displeasure.

Gilbert’s temper is always a double-edged sword: sharp externally and also capable of cutting his own people.

Not to mention, even though Russell is now a Mage, in this Mage Tower pyramid, he’s just barely escaped the very bottom foundation.

Ignoring him out of displeasure is just a fleeting decision by Gilbert... and with Gilbert’s usual capriciousness, such actions are well within his capabilities.

But all this presumes that Russell is just an ordinary apprentice in Gilbert’s eyes!

He, a Hainarson... In the end, when realizing things are off, who wouldn’t act coy to seek a bit of mercy from their elders?

There’s really nothing to be ashamed of.

Even standing before Gilbert himself, Russell felt he wouldn’t be abandoned over such a trivial matter.

He couldn’t help but scrunch his face: Russell really couldn’t understand why that lady harbored malice towards him, let alone do such a neurotic thing.

”She’s suspecting whether the Mental Power Potion I’m taking is also related to the Soul Elixir.” Hill, not being involved, could remain calm and think, ”So, using you to test my reaction is all.

Even though she used you, the main purpose truly doesn’t concern you.

If I vented my anger on you, no matter the excuse, it would be abnormal.

After all, in Gilbert’s cherished family, having two promising kids at last, as long as one remains rational, how could he bear to ruin them!

As for what will happen to you... Carpenter is also a Mage; if you’re of no use, isn’t she there too!

To conceal my own issues, I’d treat her well in the future too.

Aislin has this bad habit of always wanting to pull up girls from her faction, hoping they have more opportunities.

Ha~

Just her methods are a bit nauseating.

If she finds those girls pitiful and needing help, she should just pull resources out of her pocket! Actively aid them in understanding Spells!

Using the method of tripping up male mages... tsk, are the Archmages really fools?

If the strength isn’t enough, what does gender matter!

We aim to cultivate Mages; capability is most crucial.

If one student is wasted, will his resources really be given to another?

What she should have gotten, she already got; those she’s unqualified to have, even if everyone else dies, it’s just taking in new students again.

As for teaching... ha~

The Archmage Ruth is quite a good teacher; Aislin possibly thinks everyone’s like that.

She probably forgot what kind of person she truly is!

No apprentices dare to be sent for her to ruin! Ha~ including female apprentices.

Really, how many times has Archmage Ruth scolded her, yet whenever such situations arise, she resorts to her old ways.

Tsk~ don’t be so shocked, if she didn’t have so many issues and often have her mind tangled, how could she have been deceived by men so many times?

This guy...”

Hill gently pressed the table and couldn’t help but tilt his head: ”I don’t know why she always manages to ignite my anger.

Let me think seriously, to that day, how to give her a slap.”

”She’s of the Eighth Ring.” Russell couldn’t help but remind, ”Women or men, in Mages, indeed it’s not an issue, no one cares during a fight.

But... didn’t you say, you haven’t quite figured out Seventh Circle Spells?”

Russell genuinely worried about him suppressing Aislin with Sixth Circle Spells... crucially, he really could.

”No need to worry.” Hill smiled, a sharp glint flashing in his slightly upturned eyes, ”Gilbert is renowned as a master of arrays!

What I can accomplish, Aislin could never in this lifetime.”

His teacher speaks quite rigorously~ In his anger, Russell suddenly spaced out... indeed, Aislin could never accomplish in this lifetime what the elder here could.

But not so sure about Gilbert.

Hmm?

Is his mentor incapable of lying?

Is there really such an oddity in this world, ah no, Multiverse, someone who can’t even tell a lie?

Then what should he do?

Always aspiring to be a student that ’Gilbert’ would willingly acknowledge, Russell felt uneasy for the first time... he was a child raised amid lies and concealments!

Hopefully, the Archmage wouldn’t be dissatisfied with him due to his knack for spreading bull.

Russell frowned slightly, deciding that he should speak more sincerely to his teacher in the future, and importantly remind Carpenter: if she doesn’t want to say something, it’s okay to remain silent, but don’t slyly change the topic, much less outright lie.

In that way, she...

Thinking of his sister and the ’Gilbert’ teacher who hadn’t shown interest since appearing, Russell couldn’t help but sigh a bit.

Carpenter, there truly is no hope... not referring to her status at the Tower of Dark Enigma, but the future.

In the Tower of Dark Enigma, the teacher most likely would still teach properly.

Russell couldn’t say much more about it; he understood the underlying message clearly: without Russell, the other party would choose not to teach anyone rather than forcibly promote an unqualified Carpenter.

In some respects, it truly is a decidedly fair choice.

Still, Russell lightly sighed, knowing he must adapt early to the world of the Archmages: aptitude, resources, and endless advancement take precedence.

Other social niceties are merely chains held in hand when inclined, discarded shackles when not.

Russell mused dazedly: if even his teacher, such a personable Archmage, wouldn’t be bound by external emotions, then... the inherently colder Ruth, Nicholson, not to mention Kamente Tower?

How could they possibly, like they appear now, have such deep emotions for students and family?

Of course, it doesn’t mean there’s no emotion, nor that they don’t cherish.

His teacher clearly shows it.

But the abandonment comes quickly and decisively.

So really, at the Tower of Dark Enigma, are people truly as they seem, the restraints and fetters of the three Tower Masters?

If needed, isn’t it that...

Russell suddenly shivered, always feeling that many things starkly contradicted his past memories.

Forget it, for now, these matters don’t concern him.

He just needs to remember to be wary of Aislin in the future.

Such people, clearly having no ties but whimsically pushing you over a cliff, are quite detestable.