Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Hilbert actually knew he was a bit too soft-hearted again.

But he also knew that after getting to know Carpenter more and more, it was basically impossible for him to treat her as indifferently as he did in the past.

He could still adhere to the rule of the Magic Tower to provide only books without careful guidance, thanks to the effective warnings from Fran in the past.

Fran’s greatest concern about Hill was that he acted according to his own preferences when dealing with people and situations.

When he was good to others, he disregarded the rules.

But in the world of mages, when educating students, those with better talents and abilities receive more resources than others.

This cannot be discussed in terms of fairness.

Some can become mages, while others can only remain ordinary people; fate already made the most unfair choice at the very beginning.

Humans can only respect this fate.

Therefore, from the outset, the Magic Tower categorizes mage apprentices based on their talents into different levels.

Teaching them from a young age that if they are not as good as others, it is because their innate abilities are lacking.

Otherwise, if they grow up thinking they are no different from others, at the most crucial moment, seeing themselves far inferior to the one who once was just like them will cause imbalances in their mindset for some, most people, rather.

Of course, the Magic Tower doesn’t completely deny opportunities to those with talent that isn’t strong enough.

The public library of the Magic Tower, offering various acquisition conditions for these apprentices, provides them with opportunities to strive for their future.

Furthermore, children who perform well enough may have the chance to receive rewards from mages who appreciate them... But whether it be secret manuals or resources, they’re merely objects.

Even if no mage would focus their energy on these children with insufficient aptitude, those with perseverance and enough tenacity, determination, and ambition may just find their own path someday.

As for the remaining majority, naturally, they each will follow their inevitable path of destiny.

Hence, the order of the Magic Tower is always strict... No matter which world, no matter good or evil, it’s almost always like this, formed from countless experiences of blood and tears.

Even if there are occasional exceptions, apprentices actually all understand what those exceptions have paid... Those who don’t want to take that path or are indifferent to that path will form an alternative order.

So, although Hill tends to be soft-hearted, under Fran’s repeated guidance, he can still uphold the principles a mage mentor should have.

Even if he occasionally steps out of line, it is only a little, and he never goes too far.

Hill always warned himself in those years that if he never indulged Boen, why should he be generous to those who aren’t even as good as a finger of Boen’s?

Even when he became Legendary and decided to leave Teraxil, Hill still gifted Boen quite a lot of good things, enough to pave his way to becoming an Archmage.

But he also adhered to his boundaries.

The only thing Hill could do was ask Boen if he wanted to have faith in Agleya.

Unfortunately, after much thought, Boen still refused.

Though having faith in Agleya could give his soul a place after death, Boen didn’t want to sacrifice his faith for this matter.

Boen, while appearing very docile, actually lived with firm conviction.

Just like before, knowing that his existence would instead bring Hill some trouble, without being able to abandon his parents, he left decisively.

Later, after confirming that his parents, having devoted too much to the twins, lost their rationale and self-awareness, and even dared to covet Hill’s ideas, he turned and left, decisively.

Squatting in Central City all those years, Boen never once looked back.

In his heart, if one day Hill were to attain godhood, he might possibly forsake his neutrality as a mage and choose to embrace the deities.

But just Hill’s young master’s daughter wasn’t enough for Boen to give up his long-held principles.

Hill was actually very regretful.

But he couldn’t demand Boen to give up his principles for it.

Although Boen laughed to console him, saying that perhaps at life’s end, feeling his aging and watching death slowly approaching might cause him to abandon all his principles in an instant, so Hill shouldn’t feel sad too early.

Yet, Hill could only choose to smile bitterly.

Hill wouldn’t believe such a thing as time changing Boen’s mind.

Therefore, even though Hill met many people he admired after leaving Toril and saw many promising children, the defense line in his heart would never be breached.

No matter how much he appreciated Carpenter’s character, Hill wouldn’t extend more than this book.

And if Carpenter could, relying on herself, learn the initial form of the puzzle lock, she would have the capital to stand shoulder to shoulder with Russell.

This barrier of aptitude can be surmounted but only by themselves.

Hill could only wait on the other side of the barrier.

And mentors willing to wait like him are already very rare.

However, this point is something the people of Fran’s lineage could achieve.

In a way, although the rules are stringent, a bit of human sentiment is still retained.

Hill looked at Carpenter, who was full of emotion, her face written with determination, and could only cheer her on in his heart.

And then, he touched his pendant again.

Though he still couldn’t craft a divine artifact as powerful as the Mystery Rein Ring, after studying it for a long time, he crafted something with at least half of its effect... Certainly not a ring.

Hill hadn’t reached that level of meticulousness.

But creating larger gemstone accessories, such as broad bracelets, crowns with many gemstones, or pendants, Hill had crafted quite a few.

If before leaving this world, Carpenter could complete the first Chapter of her study on the puzzle lock, slightly entering its door, Hill might leave Carpenter a puzzle lock item.

That’s the only thing Hill can do for her before Carpenter crosses that barrier, as her teacher.

Hill also isn’t unaware that his fondness for Carpenter is somehow related to his experiences in the previous world... The same lack of aptitude but with a bit of fate, Carpenter’s performance was so excellent.

So excellent that Hill set aside his little doubts: Do noble-born female professionals have that kind of excessive arrogance issue?

Carpenter isn’t the type of girl who was extremely clever from the start, nor one who understood human relations immediately, and even committed quite a few mistakes, yet she relied on her hard work to finally become the Carpenter standing before Hill today, moving him somewhat.

-----------------

”Mage Delphus!” On the giant screen, Aislin suddenly raised her voice, drawing Hill’s attention.

The red-clad female mage was aggressively questioning: ”You’re still talking nonsense even now?

I ask you, can’t you find anyone usable among all the attendants and students you arranged outside?”

”Haha~” Delphus’s face stiffened, ”Mage Aislin, do you think there’s anything worth utilizing among my students of the seventh or eighth ring?

Even if there were ones of the eighth ring, at most, they would just be about as strong as you.

What use could they possibly have?”

Russell and Carpenter couldn’t help but exchange glances, confirming between themselves that Delphus really couldn’t hold back and was provoking Aislin.

After all, Aislin of the Tower of Dark Enigma has always been acknowledged worldwide as the weakest eighth ring.

Delphus comparing his students to her... the belittlement was obvious, for both sides together.

It seems, even avoiding Aislin, Delphus remains the arrogant Delphus.

”Teacher, why doesn’t Delphus want to bring his subordinates over?” Russell was a bit surprised, ”He’s not someone who avoids using people just because their strength isn’t enough.”

”How could someone like Delphus not have left himself an escape route?” Hill softly chuckled, ”After discovering problems with the strange objects he has on hand, since he hasn’t yet made his escape, there must be a safer backdoor left somewhere for him.

He wouldn’t move those attendants and students left outside.

Otherwise, if he didn’t mobilize people from just one or two places, wouldn’t that obviously be suspicious?”

Russell nodded in realization, ”That’s true.

I did say, Delphus was behaving far too stable.

Even if his other soul influences him in some way, he shouldn’t be so compliant.”

Hearing this, Aislin on the giant screen was furious, and a sudden flash of silver light appeared in her hand: ”Huh~ You think I’m still the same as I used to be?”

Hilbert was taken aback.

Has Aislin gone mad?

No, has the Goddess of Silvermoon gone mad?

Didn’t she see Rosero’s eyes bulging, almost out of their sockets?

No matter how foolish Rosero might be, he wouldn’t think Glaysia would allow her avatar to become an embodiment of the Power of the Silvermoon, would he?

No, that’s not right... Hill clicked his tongue.

This should be because the ’Aislin’ had an excessive takeover of her soul by another entity, triggering certain mechanisms and waking her up?

So now, every sentence Aislin speaks, isn’t necessarily hers, right?

This is really...

Even Hill couldn’t deduce what future Aislin would have.