"I hope more people can begin thinking about this question." Lucien closed the journal and focused on a.n.a.lyzing the eighth-circle magic.
......
On July 3, in the morning, the tide of hotness was surging.
Lowi had no idea how many times he had come to the magic tower of Allyn. He only knew that if he couldn't find a task that he was capable of to earn enough rewards for his rent, it would be barely possible for him to survive in Allyn where everything was expensive. He would have to leave the center of arcana and magic tower and look for opportunities elsewhere.
"This is my own fault. I was too sloppy in school and did not work hard enough. I failed to become an elite apprentice, so I can't be recommended to the good posts." Lowi did not complain but blamed himself for his lack of effort. If he had become an elite apprentice in school, he could've been recommended to the Sorcerer Administrative Department, the Apprentice a.s.sessment Department, the Task Zone or other departments of the Congress, or given an opportunity to work in the major organization and journals' offices in Allyn. That way, he would get in touch with many official sorcerers, and a decent pay that was enough for him to survive in Allyn.
Lowi touched his pocket. There was a recommendation letter in it for the local magic group in the Paphos County.
Although in the eyes of the magic apprentices who went to remote counties or even the Solar Islands, to be recommended to the Paphos Country, one of the top three prosperous places of Holm, was something worth envying, it was entirely meaningless for Lowi who had realized his mistake after graduation because it was not Allyn. If he left the center of arcana and magic, he would be left behind by his cla.s.smates who stayed in the place soon enough.
According to the survey made by 'Allyn Impression',a collection of tidbits that appeared only a few years ago, every one of ten apprentices who stayed in Allyn for three years after they left the magic school became an official sorcerer. The elite apprentices that were recommended to good positions even had a terrifying ratio of one in three, which was far higher than other branches where the ratio was one in twenty.
In the Solar Islands and the remote counties, it was an astonis.h.i.+ng one in thirty. Unless there was absolutely no choice, n.o.body wanted to go there. But the situation seemed to have improved after the channel of 'News of the World' appeared.
After thinking that, Lowi moved his finger away from his pocket, determined not to be left behind by other people at the beginning.
However, his heartburn made him smile bitterly. In order to save costs, it had been a while since he enjoyed breakfast.
His family was not rich in the first place. If he couldn't find a job that suited himself and paid well, his dream would have to succ.u.mb to reality, unless he accepted the tasks that were evidently dangerous.
"Life, or dream? What a hard choice." Lowi teased himself and swallowed to allay his hunger. Cleaning his apprentice robe that had been worn out, he walked to the Task Zone.
Finding a silver counter that was not occupied yet, Lowi raised his head and read the missions displayed on the green screen.
"Secret mining mission in the southern desert of the Gusta Empire: The pay is one arcana point or a Thale every day, and additional pay will be calculated according to the quality and quant.i.ty of minerals. Please refer to the appendix for the details. Capability Request: Unrestricted. Number: Unrestricted. Danger Level: Very High. You will need to face the monsters in the desert and take care of the night watchers and the clergy. In the meantime, the minerals contain invisible curses."
The abundant pay dazzled Louis' eyes, but he was stopped by the final description. It was impossible to accomplish the task without the capabilities of an official sorcerer. Eight out of ten apprentices would be killed.
"… Holning's store needs an alchemy a.s.sistant for three years. Food and accommodation will be reimbursed."
Lowi was tempted. Despite the lack of pay, which meant that he couldn't buy materials or borrow books, the reimburs.e.m.e.nt of food and accommodation could help him avoid the expensive life in Allyn. Also, he could learn a lot by working as an a.s.sistant to an alchemist.
"But I'm a sorcerer more inclined to spell-casting than craftsmans.h.i.+p. A delay of three years will make me further behind. I might as well go to the Paphos county and learn the latest research through the magic radio."
Lowi shook his head and continued reading, but the tasks were either too dangerous or too unrewarding for him to resolve his imminent crisis.
Lowi was frustrated after reading the new tasks in half an hour. Did he really have to leave Allyn?
The sorcerers in different clothes next to him accepted tasks and left, talking and laughing. But in Louis' eyes, they seemed to be in a different world that was filled with color and brightness, while he was surrounded by gloomy mists.
Louis, unwilling to give in, raised his head again, and planned to find a short, low-paying task to deal with the day, so that he could check if there was any suitable new task for him tomorrow. Suddenly, the green screen bounced, and a new message jumped on it.
"Apprentice Recruitment: The Atom Inst.i.tution, located on the eighteenth floor of the Allyn magic tower, is in dire need of ten apprentice-level a.s.sistants. Duration: Three years. Capability Request: No lower than senior-rank magic apprentices. Payment: Ten arcana points every month, free elementary books on arcana and magic, free-to-use experimental devices. Deadline: July 10."
"Apprentice-level a.s.sistants?" Lowi repeated in confusion, finding it hard to believe the copious payment.
Suddenly, his eyes were frozen when he saw the dark red words below the introduction: "The Atom Inst.i.tution?"
"The Atom Inst.i.tution!"
Lowi immediately felt that a fire was burning all the way from his heart to his head, making him unable to think about anything. The Atom Inst.i.tution, which belonged to Mr. Lucien Evans who proposed the new alchemy, was a sanctuary for every sorcerer who intended to walk on the path of elements and materials, and a marvelous place where new research achievements appeared on a monthly basis. It represented the highest level in atomic studies.
Such a place is recruiting apprentice-level a.s.sistants?
What am I waiting for?
Lowi felt that his dream was right before his eyes, s.h.i.+ning splendidly. Panting, he hurried to accept the task and took over a form that was pa.s.sed on to him by the staff.
"Resume?" Lowi had never heard of such a thing before and was somewhat stunned. Thankfully, the introduction on it was quite detailed. He filled it out according to the conditions requested.
"If your resume pa.s.ses, you will have the first round of written exams in two days, which will be about the fundamentals of elemental arcana and magic." The instructor repeated the task description in a weird tone, for she had never heard of resume or written exams before, either.
Two days? Can I survive in Allyn for two days? Should I take some other task to live through it?
Lowi was confused, but he soon grew ruthless. Looking at his apprentice robe, he thought to himself, "I can't be distracted by other tasks but have to be focused on reviewing the fundamentals of arcana and magic… It should be enough for me to survive seven days if I sell this robe to the p.a.w.n shop!"
After he made the decision, Louis' eyes became bright, and he walked out determinedly.
After the instructor saw him off, she shook her head. Then, with pa.s.sion beaming out of her eyes, she picked out a resume and began filling it out, too.
Hardly had Lowi stepped away when he heard exclamations: "The Atom Inst.i.tution is hiring apprentice-level a.s.sistants?"
"The Atom Inst.i.tution is hiring?"
"Is it true? Is it true? Let me take a look!"
In the ever-rising voices, the whole Task Zone was seething. Many apprentices were so excited that they were blus.h.i.+ng, as if they had seen their bright future.
It made Lowi slightly frown. The compet.i.tion would be rather intense. Then, he laughed in self-mockery. If there weren't any intense compet.i.tion for that, it would mean that he had been dreaming all the time.
As he walked firmly, Lowi encountered his teacher in the magic when he pa.s.sed by the task platform at the edge. The usually mannered middle-aged man was also waving his hands excitedly like apprentices.
"Mr. Balterley, greetings." Lowi said politely.
Balterley recognized that it was his student that he often thought highly off. He smiled at Louis, "You're here for tasks? Go to accept the apprentice a.s.sistant task from the Atom Inst.i.tution! I just took it!"
"Master, aren't—aren't you a second-circle sorcerer and a level-two arcanist? This is apprentice a.s.sistant!" Lowi asked in shock.
Clenching his fists, Balterley said zealously, "Is that important? As long as I can get into the Atom Inst.i.tution, what's the big deal even if I have to be an apprentice as a sorcerer? That's the cutting edge of the elemental field. Also, I'll be privileged to hear Mr. Lucien Evans' tutelage and get in touch with the deepest mysteries of elements and materials."
Lowi suddenly felt a headache. The compet.i.tion appeared to be too intense.
However, the fire of dreams and ambitions were burning too wildly to be extinguished, which filled him with expectation and momentum.
......
After a round of written exams and interviews, Lucian found a frustrated Rock in the Atom Inst.i.tution.
Regarding that, Lucien asked curiously and correctly, "Rock, what's up? There's n.o.body you're interested in? n.o.body calls to you? As I recall, the inst.i.tution was almost crushed by crowds recently."
Rock said regretfully, "Some female apprentices did approach me. Well, a few male apprentices did, too… But I refused all of them. I'm looking for a partner to marry. Do I have the courage to accept those people? Those I was indeed interested in, however, were all self-respective, polite and indifferent. They didn't give me any chance at all. What's wrong with this world?"
Lucien burst into laughter and patted Rock's shoulder. "It's a good thing to be more social in order to find a partner, but your way is not going to work out. It's not hard to find a mistress, but it will take you forever for you to find an independent girl who is worth your respect and love. I intended to persuade you to give up a few days ago, but then I thought a lesson would do you good. Alright, drop your other thoughts and complete the second round of written exams and interviews fairly. I'll supervise the final interviews in person."
Rock sighed and complained jokingly, "You're talking as if you were an expert."
"Of course I am. I have a girlfriend." Lucien replied also jokingly.
