Chapter 388
Chapter 388: Recruiting Apprentices
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Five years later .
“Caw caw caw, young master, where are we going to recruit sorcerer-apprentices today?”
On a massive black flying carpet in the sky, Myna asked Grimm excitedly as he rolled his eyes around, “Young Master, are you really thinking about taking a disciple under your wing?”
This flying carpet belonged to Isotta, typically used to shuttle qualified sorcerer-apprentices around the Black Isotta territory .
Grimm knew precisely what Myna was up to . Whoever that was Grimm’s disciple would also come under Myna’s care, which isn’t exactly a good idea most of the time .
“Stop imagining such delusions, that is impossible . ”
Grimm replied bluntly .
“Oh…”
Myna sighed in disappointment and stopped talking about this topic . Instead, he started looking down at the human towns and villages that passed by beneath them .
Once every decade, the sorcery academies on the Sorcerer Continent would be open for the recruitment of sorcerer-apprentices .
The academies are typically open to all interested parties, and civilians would be tested for their competence in the selection process after paying the fee of a single gold coin .
The rule that was passed down since ancient times of the Sorcerer World was that only humans that possess a mental strength above ten points are qualified for selection .
This is because of the parasitic relationship the Nightmare World has with the Sorcerer World . The illusionary monsters that roam the Nightmare World in ancient times possess the ability to affect the sanity of any creature that has a mental strength of up to nine points .
As for the Nightmare World of today however, it has been weakened gradually over generations in the Sorcerer World . So much so that a large portion of the modern sorcerer descendents have long forgotten about the Nightmare World . This ten point mental strength requirement now has a new reasoning behind it that is, the potential for hidden talents as well as the search for the Light of Wisdom .
At the same time, this ten points of mental strength represents another qualitative change, that was the innate ability after being ordained an official sorcerer .
Although innate ability was not exactly a requirement that determined the success of a sorcerer, it formed a stable foundation for many great sorcerers . It was what set apart sorcerers that have the same level of intellect and this was an indisputable fact .
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The more basic one’s Elemental ability, the more useful it was in the world of sorcery . Case in point, sorcery academies welcome such abilities and was the thing most academies sought for in a recruit .
The more complex the ability one possesses, like Grimm’s Dimensional Gap, the less value it has despite its infinite potential for usage . Abilities only exist as a stable foundation for one’s path of sorcery, and gives a basic direction for a sorcerer to research in .
In most cases, such complex abilities were left to higher-ranking sorcerers to do research upon .
As for Grimm’s ability, the Dimensional Gap, he would have to reach the level of knowledge accumulation of a Stigmata Sorcerer before he starts a basic research on it . This would mean finishing a task that was supposed to be completed when one was still a sorcerer-apprentice, something most sorcerer’s could not accept .
As such, many sorcerers choose to give up research in their own innate abilities to focus on their path of sorcery instead .
Of course, at any given point, wisdom still remains the most important factor on one’s path of sorcery . In fact, one could even go so far as to neglect his own innate abilities if his level of wisdom allows it so .
For now, Grimm had been assigned a task by Peranos to recruit a new batch of sorcerer-apprentices from the complex human city-state area .
“Young Master, I know that your mentor asked you to recruit at least ten sorcerer-apprentices from this entire section . But what would happen if you fail to recruit enough apprentices?”
Myna asked curiously .
To Grimm, the punishment for his failure of completing the task assigned to him by Peranos can be considered naught but a scratch and the reward for it should he complete it is negligible too . At this point, it was more about maintaining his honor as a former disciple .
Grimm replied confidently, “I’ll start snatching apprentices then . ”
Twenty days later .
Taking out a piece of map and comparing it to the coordinates on the crystal ball, Grimm tucked away the flying carpet and descended onto the small town on the ground .
Viscount Bartha’s house was illuminated with shimmering lights . The woman looked at the mysterious sorcerer from Black Isotta Sorcery Academy and behind her stood a group of nobles from Mudulu City who welcomed Grimm’s arrival with their local noble etiquette .
Their ancestors were sorcerers too, explaining the string of rumours about sorcerers among locals of the city .
“Hm . ”
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Grimm did the sorcerer greeting before strolling into the hall one step at a time while grasping the Sabbatic Goat Staff in his hands .
The knights from afar followed Grimm’s back with their steadfast eyes . They all wore beautifully made suits of armour with their waist plates strapped on straight, giving them an air of nobility .
‘So this is a sorcerer huh?’
Sitting on a high chair in the hall, Grimm did not show any interest in the feast prepared by the nobles . After taking a few bites of food out of courtesy, Grimm’s eyes locked onto Bartha .
“Are the children of this town ready?”
Bartha said with a wide smile, “I have been waiting for your arrival for a long time . I just hope that at least one or two sorcerer-apprentices can make it out of this small town . It’s been a few decades since the last person from this city made it into Black Isotta Sorcery Academy . ”
Burp…
Myna belched as he drank away glasses of sweet sugar cane wine . It seems he was slightly drunk now .
“Tell those little ones that the entry fee of one gold coin must be handed over in person to me, Lord Myna . No one can escape under my nose! If you want to become a great sorcerer like my young master here, he must be prepared to sacrifice everything he has in order to move forward . I don’t care how smart or how amazing his talents are, he would be going straight into the jaws of death should he refuse to do so . ”
Hearing Myna’s drunken babbling, an old memory suddenly floated into Grimm’s mind .
Old Ham once left Grimm two gold coins, two shabby cottages and a sick, old horse . It took him a large amount of determination before he managed to give out the entry fee of a gold coin .
Perhaps the sixth brother who was an ironsmith apprentice in Bi Seer city had mental strength points above ten?
Regardless, Grimm had long lost the chance to find out .
The lack of courage to struggle means that the chance of success is completely null .
Grimm checked the time . This boring feast has been going on for three-quarters of an hourglass and sunset was just another two hourglasses away . Grimm was impressed that this little town managed to produce two, three hundred children .
Grimm estimated that his job in this town should be over before the dark sets in .
Thinking this, Grimm told Bartha, “Then please start making the arrangements for the test to start immediately . Black Isotta Sorcery Academy will recruit children who have mental strength above ten points and train them into powerful Dark Sorcerers . ”
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“Alright, alright, alright . ”
After saying alright three consecutive times, Bartha leaned over to the knight beside her and whispered some instructions . After the knight left the hall, Bartha revealed a little girl behind her back .
This little girl seemed to be around eleven or twelve . She had a brownish-black long wavy hair and wore the clothes of young nobility . Her eyes were big and round, making her extremely cute .
“Master Grimm, this is my daughter, Emanatha . Will you please check if she has the innate ability of a sorcerer?”
Sitting high up on the platform, the eyes underneath the gray-white swirling Mask of Truth glowed like two burning balls of flame, making Grimm look extremely perplexing .
Intimidated by Grimm’s demeanor, the little girl clung tightly to her mother’s hand .
Many nobles around them brought their own children or nephews too .
Grimm kept silent for a moment before raising his head suddenly .
“Viscount Bartha, first, I need you to bring your daughter to the line . You can put her first in line and for the rest of the children, according to the hierarchy of the nobility . I will test to see if they are eligible or not, but it requires you all to form a line . ”
Pausing for a moment, Grimm continued, “After that, please hand over the entry fees of one gold coin to my partner over there . This is a sorcerer’s most basic rule which you must follow!”
Bartha’s expression changed slightly but it was quickly corrected into a smile .
“Yes, Master Grimm, it is my fault . ”
After a while, with Emantha forming the head of the line, a long line of children stretched to the outside of the Viscount’s house . However, there were only over a hundred children which was much lower than what Grimm had expected . It seemed he had greatly underestimated the frugality of the locals here .
Grimm sighed silently .
The evolutionary process of becoming a sorcerer might be powerful but it brings with it unique flaws . This kind of inconsistency was exactly part of those flaws found only in the Sorcerers’ Civilization .
“Please place your hand on the crystal ball . ”
Grimm’s voice grew colder at this point . The little girl’s tiny hands trembled as she placed her hand on the crystal ball under Grimm’s instruction . Immediately upon doing so, her eyes clamped shut and her body trembled unnaturally .
“Mental strength, six points . Not qualified . ”
Grimm’s announcement sounded indifferent, as if he was talking about something ordinary . It however, shocked the little girl so much so that tears started pouring out of her suddenly red eyes .
“Please leave the area after the test is complete, don’t obstruct the line of children behind you . ”
Grimm’s voice was now freezing cold . This type of girl did not fit in with the laws of the Dark Sorcerers . To send her to the Sorcery Academy would be no different than sending an innocent lamb to a slaughterhouse .
The second boy had the mental strength of nine points, barely making it .
Grimm stared calmly at this little boy, hoping that his wisdom would show itself on the situation .
However, the only thing the boy offered to Grimm was a look of disappointment . At the same time, he kept looking back at his baron father for help .
The disappointment stems from being just a single point under the bare requirement . He was praying that Grimm would let him pass on the basis that his father held a special position .
Regardless, with a wave of his hand, Grimm signaled for the next child to step forward .
Two hourglasses later .
After checking all the children in the little town, Grimm and Myna left in disappointment on the flying carpet, heading over to the next city .
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