Surviving The Fourth Calamity

At this moment, however, Aislin couldn’t perfectly find that noble heart that overlooks all beings.

She angrily slapped the table in front of her... fortunately, the hall was empty.

Unlike Hilbert, who placed the controller in the living room, Aislin specifically allocated a control room.

The console she used was different from the custom-made popular model Hilbert used; it was specially made by Sia Tower for Archmages with relatively high status.

The true master controller was actually a two-finger-wide metal ring worn on Aislin’s wrist.

Then a portion of the authority would be handed over to the console in that control room to manage.

After all, no matter how nicely it was said, such a small magic array generally could only record the aura of three people... if it’s the popular model, unless the person who recorded the aura fell, it couldn’t be changed.

Like Hilbert, who had enough trusted students, naturally it didn’t matter.

But for someone like Aislin, who had many subordinates around her yet dared not entrust her safety and wealth to anyone, even more so.

No matter whose information was recorded in that control room, she could erase it with a single click of the hand ring.

If there was any important change... for instance, if the airship was set to fly forward but suddenly got controlled to turn, the master controller would timely notify her.

Therefore, this airship developed by Sia Tower was really suitable for Aislin.

Ruth, who was very suspicious, was stronger than her in this respect... after all, that person, although liked to test people’s hearts, as long as they passed, he would still give a part of his trust.

At least for airships like these, Ruth could always pull out a line of people to help him steer.

Of course, Ruth also used a similar airship, but the reasons were different from Aislin’s. He didn’t lack trustworthy followers, nor did he care about these people sitting right next to him.

But he really had too many secrets.

In contrast, followers themselves would try to avoid staying by his side all the time... Ruth’s trust wasn’t easy to bear.

Those who wanted to deal with Ruth would naturally start with these people who had low status and whose level was at most Fifth Circle, but were closely connected with Ruth.

Just as no one had seen any of Ruth’s followers from when he was young... given Ruth’s age, with the treatment of his followers, such a circumstance shouldn’t occur.

Thus, The Wise Ones understood the truth.

The less they knew, the safer they were.

But Aislin was a little different. Perhaps due to her different origin, she truly treated followers as... slaves.

Even though these followers originally didn’t want to go to the Outer Ring and defected to some Archmage due to insufficient talents, generally speaking, mages wouldn’t treat their own kind as consumables like Aislin did.

The attitude Aislin displayed was certainly not problematic, especially since Ruth himself valued this aspect greatly.

However, the things she did made people feel her heartlessness, especially after her students’ unfortunate incidents—which made no Wise One want to follow her... including those shrewd individuals seeking promotion opportunities in the Inner Ring.

After all, Ruth’s testing people’s hearts only made people feel unbearably stressed; as long as they harbored no malicious intent nor were too greedy, they could at least leave quietly.

But all of Aislin’s tests seemed aimed at fatal consequences.

So in the end, those still willing to serve as her followers were basically the sincere ones, easily bullied, who just wanted to find a place to survive in the Inner Ring.

Such people, as followers, weren’t entirely useless, as they follow orders with precision.

Yet, you couldn’t say they were good to use, since without orders, they wouldn’t act.

Furthermore, sincerity is not always a good trait... so even if they became high-level apprentices before turning 16 and advanced to mages, their future rarely reached Intermediate Level.

Aislin may use them but looked down upon them.

Ruth of course corrected this flaw in her behavior many times... with followers always by one’s side, how could permanent high-pressure treatment be justified?

Even if you couldn’t find any feelings other than some enthusiasm for handsome faces, you must understand the art of managing subordinates!

One hand with a big stick and the other with a sweet jujube would be mocked, you being unable even to give a single jujube!

These are mages!

They may not have sufficient talents and may have some personality issues, but their intelligence is definitely sufficient!

Even if there isn’t any emotion temporarily, who knows when they might have an epiphany?

Either don’t use them, or if used, treat them well. That’s the principle of managing followers.

Sometimes, the harm followers bring can be stronger than subordinates with more abilities.

Yet, just as Ruth couldn’t control Aislin’s concept of love or suppress her consistently excessive way of doing things, he couldn’t make Aislin view her followers as equals.

Still, Aislin’s flaws weren’t considered excessive among mages.

After all, this was a two-way choice, and Aislin wouldn’t force anyone to follow her.

Just as Ruth said she was not suitable to take students, she stopped accepting them even if someone knocked on her door.

So over the years, Aislin lived this peculiar life: many subordinates but the real boss was always Ruth.

Two or three followers, at most Third Circle, waiting in their rooms every day for Aislin’s orders, never going out without a summons.

Of course, there were also benefits... even Ruth found it hard to gain solitary space in his spaceship hall, yet Aislin could easily obtain it.

Her few attendants would rather squeeze together in the tiny control room than stay in the hall and risk her temper.

Being sensible doesn’t mean one likes being scolded.

So, only Aislin herself was aware of her own indignation...which might actually be a good thing.

”Gilbert, have you found out anything?” Aislin couldn’t help but ask in a low voice.

Then, another voice, lazier and deeper than Aislin’s own, emerged from her mouth, ”Impossible.”

”Ruth is definitely suspicious.”

”Gilbert is probably still wondering about the person behind Nanali.”

”What he said isn’t meant for you to hear...A presence capable of sending necromancy should easily see through his simple isolation array, shouldn’t it?”

”But how does he know that I’m listening to him?” Aislin regained control of her mouth, questioning with suspicion.

”Why are you always so naive?” The other voice couldn’t resist mocking, ”Does he need to care whether you listen or not?

Not listening doesn’t matter, but if you do listen, that’s when he’s happiest!

Didn’t you realize he didn’t use any subject when he was speaking?

He’s speaking for anyone eavesdropping!

Why do you insist on applying it to yourself? Is your brain broken?”

”With your presence, can my brain be considered intact?” Aislin suddenly sneered.

”I represent the good side.”

”What a joke...I used to wonder why, despite being so indifferent, I always ended up liking such worthless men!” Aislin said fiercely, ”It must be because of you!”

”Ah...I can’t deny that.

But, you can’t deny you’re me!”

”Ha~ Shut your mouth and get out of my soul!”

”That won’t work, because you are me, and I am you!”

”Don’t harm my teacher, or I...”

”Ah...I actually have this side!

To truly sacrifice myself for others...even burning my own soul and destroying my body after discovering the problem...I’m not just my mother’s child, am I!”

”It’s me, not you.” Aislin spoke coldly and firmly.

”How many times do I have to say it? You are me!”

”What nonsense!” Aislin couldn’t hold back her hatred, ”Even if it’s the same soul, when heading toward different lives, it’s already two people!

What you love, I do not; what you hate, I do not hate—how can it be the same person?

I don’t know what you want, nor what my future holds...but since you are stronger, I can only resign myself.

But do not touch my one true heart.”

”Heh~”

”I know I might not be that important to you, maybe just a ten-thousandth part of your soul...but so what?

At least you don’t want to lose me right now, do you?

My wishes and your bottom line are so different...so don’t provoke me!”

”Are you an idiot? You won’t be unaware that your true heart, your only love, Ruth, has already chosen to abandon you!”

”My teacher is always smart, how could he fall for something like you!” Aislin smiled contentedly.

”I...if the soul is incomplete, even filling it with a blank soul would turn into a madman?” That voice with a hint of a deep female tone could no longer maintain its laziness, ”Being abandoned, being sacrificed and you feel happy!”

”Ha ha ha...Heh heh heh...”

Aislin suddenly let out a strange laugh, even making the three people confined in the control room faintly hear it. They couldn’t help but glance at each other and added another layer to the soundproof curtain on the door.

Until they couldn’t hear any sound, they reassuredly hugged each other.

Although they had long known Miss Aislin could be unpredictable and even somewhat mad...their luck had been decent, arriving just after her previous relationship ended and becoming her attendants.

They had no choice, although it was rare for official apprentices in the Tower of Dark Enigma to remain first-circle mages for life, they advanced very slowly: even though they understood zero-circle spells quickly, they struggled to analyze those of the first circle!

Staying in the outer ring would certainly lead to an early death.

That’s why they dared to join Aislin...being an official mage, it wasn’t easy for Aislin to find attendants like them.

No matter how much they desired a future as mages, they’d have to weigh the possibility of surviving for years to come.

They originally thought their gamble had been successful...but this adventure seemed to be nearing its end.

It seemed that no one would survive.