Hydin was currently seated in the Holy Institution’s largest library — the First Library, drinking coffee.
The figures of the entire First Library’s staff members bustled around in front of him.
After the Head of the First Library directed them to place the last box of data in the nook at the upper right corner of the bookshelf that was most out of sight, the Head wiped at the dense amount of sweat on his forehead and asked Hydin, “Tagilis, is this fine?”
Hydin touched his nose. This nose of his made him appear rather arrogant because of how excessively tall and straight it was. He said slowly, “I’ve felt all along that they should be displayed in the secret archive room.”
The Head’s face fell. He didn’t wish for this three days’ worth of hard work to have gone entirely to waste. “Tagilis, you know the institution’s rules. Unless the Parliament agrees, I have no authority to open the door to the secret archives in private.”
Hydin narrowed his eyes. “No authority?” Disdain colored the somewhat nasal, overly sentimental voice that was unique to him. “Do I need to test the sequence of numbers for the door to the secret archives? I guarantee the number of times the Parliament agrees will be many times more.”
The Head of the library laughed dryly. “I go in occasionally to clean a little.”
Hydin cast a sidelong glance at him.
The Head found it difficult to endure his stare and begged for mercy. “All right, all right. I guarantee that I will immediately apply for the parliament to grant the rights for these experimental results to be put into the secret archive room. The moment the Parliament approves it, I will immediately lock them into the secret archive room!”
“Rights?” The corner of Hydin’s mouth curled in displeasure. “They certainly didn’t come to me to apply for rights when they established the Parliament.”
The Head of the Library was already accustomed to the arrogant words that would come out from his mouth from time to time and shifted his gaze to another direction.
The hour and minute hand of the clock hanging on the wall pointed to nine o’clock and the thirty-minute mark respectively.
His eyes rolled back, and he asked in astonishment, “Wasn’t yesterday the last reporting day for the new students? Why are you still here?”
Hydin inquired, “Where else should I be if not here?”
The Head of Library replied, “You should be with your students.”
Hydin said, “Will they leave if I’m not there?”
“No,” He wasn’t bragging. In the many years since the Holy Institution’s founding, he had never once seen someone quit of their own accord.
Hydin raised a brow and stated, “Then why do I need to be anxious?”
Under the speechless gazes of the Head of the library and the other workers, he leisurely spent more than an hour finishing his coffee. Then, on account of the Head’s ‘hospitable invitation’, he enjoyed lunch before unhurriedly walking in the direction of the empty plot of land.
It happened to be lunch time, so Di Lin and the rest had all gone to the dining hall, leaving the tents vacant.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Hydin circled the place before coming to a stop before Xi Luo’s tent.
The tent’s flap suddenly opened, and Xi Luo walked out. His handsome features were dazzling under the sun’s rays. “Magic tutor Tagilis?”
Hydin looked him up and down. “You’re repeating a year?”
Xi Luo was a little startled. “Putting it in such a way…is acceptable.” The matter of him returning to school by filling in a spot for new students had been approved after a discussion by the institution’s Parliament. As his tutor, Hydin had no reason not to know this.
The corner of Hydin’s mouth curled. “As the first repeating student in the history of Saint Padeus, you should be made a specimen and put in a display case.”
Xi Luo pursed his lips.
Hydin fished out a pocket watch from his chest area and glanced at the time. “It’s twenty minutes past eleven now. I’ll give you ten minutes to get those easygoing guys who don’t value their education and respect their teacher back here.”
Xi Luo’s brows creased. “Ten minutes?”
Hydin replied, “You want to allocate some time out of that ten minutes to haggling?”
“I don’t think I have an obligation to call them back,” Hydin’s brash attitude finally infuriated him.
Hydin said, “Of course it’s not an obligation. You can refuse. But…are you sure you want to do so?”
Xi Luo’s eyes sank.
Hydin paid no heed to him. He took out a deck chair from his space bag and sat on it, closing his eyes to rest.
Xi Luo inhaled deeply. He muttered an incantation and a gust of wind abruptly swept his body away from the spot.
By the time Di Lin and the rest rushed back in a flurry, the hand on Hydin’s pocket watch was already at the forty-minute mark.
Xi Luo could use magic, which was why they managed to return before thirty minutes was up.
Watching Hydin rise slowly from the chair, as well as his enigmatic appearance, Di Lin and the rest became somewhat apprehensive. They had gone to the dining hall because Hydin was late but… They weren’t counting on Hydin to calmly discuss the link between this cause and effect with them.
Surprisingly, Hydin didn’t nag much on this issue of time. Instead, he got straight to the point and asked, “Apart from this repeating student, who else knows how to use magic?”
Di Lin glanced at the rest and moved one step forward.
Along with him, Aridi and Rui Meng had also stepped forward.
Hydin retreated half a foot. “Show me then.” He paused and smiled at Xi Luo with curved eyes. “Repeating student, you come too.”
“My name is Xi Luo·Castalon,” Xi Luo said before extending a palm, a lick of scarlet flame burning in his palm.
Hydin raised a brow. His palm flipped up and instantly, a tongue of flame rose into the air, its aggressive energy identical to its owner’s.
Xi Luo’s lips were pursed extremely tightly. He liked to purse his lips when he was anxious or angry.
Hydin retrieved his palm. “Someone who hasn’t even reached this level should not even have the qualifications to enroll.”
Di Lin and the rest looked at Xi Luo’s stubbornly straight back, a feeling of sympathy for a fellow compatriot rising in their hearts.
“Who’s next?” Hydin’s gaze wandered over the group in search of someone and landed on Di Lin. “Reveal your meaty claws and brandish them.”
“…”
Di Lin walked a step forward steadily and closed his eyes.
Andre·Basco had previously invited a magic tutor to teach him but that tutor had believed that given his birth, he would definitely enter Saint Padeus’ Institution to study in the future. Hence, that tutor had only taught him the basics, so as to enable him to better adapt to a tutor of the Holy Institution.
He felt his train of thought gradually calming. Water elements slowly appeared within his mind, with a clarity that was completely unlike the past.
He was shocked.
Those densely packed water-blue dots swam about their surroundings like swimming fish. They were so very brilliant, so very dazzling. He had never known that their true appearance was this beautiful.
But why did his ability to sense the magic elements suddenly rise this much?
…Or, was this merely a figment of his imagination?
His forehead was suddenly prodded.
Di Lin’s eyes opened abruptly. Yet, he saw Hydin sizing him up with narrowed eyes.
From the distance between them, there was nobody else who could have jabbed him on the forehead.
“I allow you to report your name,” Hydin’s eyes let out a faint light.
Di Lin realized that Hydin and Xi Luo were extremely alike at certain times. For instance, both of them liked to raise their chins, intentionally or otherwise, when they spoke. Perhaps this was a common problem among all haughty individuals?
“Di Lin·Basco,” He heard himself answer calmly.
Other than Xi Luo, the rest were looking at them doubtfully, seemingly unable to understand how exactly Di Lin managed to enable Hydin to view him in a new light simply by shutting his eyes and standing on the spot.
The gaze Xi Luo directed towards Di Lin contained an extra element of fear. Despite the fact that he practised fire elemental magic, he had clearly sensed the water elements around them dancing spiritedly in excitement for an instant just now.
His tutor, rank ten orthodox mage Chai Fu’ang, had previously mentioned that truly formidable elemental mages did not in fact study those complicated, awkward-sounding incantations, nor did they study those gestures that were difficult to memorize. Instead, they trained their sensitivity and connection to the elements to obtain their love and trust. When one attained a level of spiritual communication unhindered by nothing and forgot about incantations and gestures, that person would already be the world’s strongest elemental mage!
Was this to say that Di Lin had already stepped onto this path before entering the institution?
Xi Luo’s brows wrinkled slightly.
Next to take the stage was Aridi and Rui Meng.
Aridi practised wood elemental magic.
Among the four types of elemental mages, those who practised wood elemental magic numbered the least. Many talented mages would even abandon their talent and choose one of the other three forms of magic. This was because in comparison to the other three elements, which were present literally everywhere, the wood element was severely restricted in terms of geographical location – as long as the location had no vegetation, no magic could be used.
Aridi’s choice had more or less gone beyond Di Lin’s expectations.
All he glimpsed was Aridi squatting and placing his hand on the ground, his lips trembling incessantly.
Di Lin and the rest waited with wide eyes.
Roughly a minute went by. Aridi then wearily stood up and bowed deeply to Hydin. “I’m done.”
Di Lin and the rest glanced at the spot covered by his hand. They inclined their heads left and right, attempting in vain to make out something noteworthy. Rui Meng, who had been preparing to display his capabilities to the fullest, had now observed three instances that exceeded his expectations. He hesitated and pondered if he should also learn from Di Lin and Aridi and smoke his way through by putting on an act. After all, the outcome of Xi Luo, who had genuinely used magic, wasn’t anything for the ones behind to learn from.
“Oh,” The corner of Hydin’s mouth curved. “The grass grew a millimeter.”
“…” Di Lin and the rest looked at him in admiration. They hadn’t expected for him to be able to perceive even a millimeter of growth.
Aridi’s eyes were practically brimming with excitement.
He had performed so many times, finally someone could prove that he wasn’t spouting drivel!
Hydin shrugged his shoulders. “My fire spirit told me.”
…
Fire spirit?
The elements’ final form – spirit?
Besides Suo Suo, who was miles away, minding his own business, the rest of them widened their eyes till they were as big as saucers.
Suo Suo is just living his best, I love him
I spoiled myself already and I had to say, this was clearly a surprise…😳
Spirit? Cool…. Suo Suo watching the clouds go by…