Angola nodded and pointed at the mirror with his finger. A ray of red light came out of the tip of his finger and sank into the surface of the mirror.
The whole room was immediately brightened up by the light coming from the walls and Angele could hear the strange sizzling noise from the mirrors.
The area outside the school appeared within the mirrors: the muddy ruin, the setting sun and Master Moroco cleaning his feathers with his beak.
"What exactly are you looking for?" Angola asked.
"Three Wizard apprentices, two males, and one female. The female Wizard apprentice's name is Annie. I think they returned to the school at the same time. Can you fast forward it? I need the records about all the Wizard apprentices that came back to the school recently," Angele responded.
"No problem." With a flick of Angola's finger, the image started changing rapidly.
It was still showing the images of the morning, but now it was already midnight. The pure light of the moon poured onto the empty ground, and three people wearing gray robes appeared in the mirror after several minutes.
"Those are my targets." Angele narrowed his eyes.
"Found what you wanted?" Angola turned around and asked.
"Can you please show me their information? I think the door at the entrance of the door checks the Wizard apprentices' identity, right?" Angele nodded.
"Of course. They offended you?" Angola clapped his hands. The image in the mirror disappeared. Lines of red characters quickly lined up on its surface.
"Ah, Vlasov?" Angele recognized the language and started reading the information carefully.
'Annie Korver, 19 years old, rank 3 Wizard apprentice. Apprentice of Wizard Maryland from the Faculty of Shadow.
Jack Bennie, 20 years old, rank 3 Wizard apprentice. Apprentice of Wizard Maryland from the Faculty of Shadow.
Adele, 19 years old, rank 2 Wizard apprentice. Apprentice of Wizard Maryland from the Faculty of Shadow.'
That was all the information showed up in the mirror.
"Maryland? That old coward? They are in trouble now, I guess." Angola chuckled.
"Thanks for the help, Angola." Angele bowed slightly, "I have something important to take care of and I have to leave now."
"No worries, Master Liliana has helped me several times already," Angola smiled.
Angele left the core area after stepping out of Angola's mirror room. He had not signed the contract with the school, so he could not stay in the core area for too long.
His access was granted by Liliana's magical sigil. Otherwise, he would not be able to pass the barrier. All he could think about at the moment was those three Wizard apprentices.
Angele was not a member of the school anymore. He was just a disciple of Liliana, and the school would only help him if he signed the contract. He could not just go to Maryland's office and demand for the three Wizard apprentices. Two of them were already at rank 3 and were relatively important to the school. Wizards and their apprentices usually did not develop deep relationships. Wizard apprentices could purchase rare items from their teachers at a discounted price. Wizards would protect them from danger only when necessary.
Angele put all his items into two large cases after returning to his own room.
"I probably should hire two Wizard apprentices…" Angele looked at the two large travel cases on the floor. He was a bit speechless.
*Knock-knock*
Someone had knocked on his door. Two male Wizard apprentices were standing outside.
"Greetings, Master Angele." The taller Wizard apprentice handed a yellow item over to Angele.
"This is the telescope Master Liliana has prepared for you."
Angele grabbed the telescope. He knew it was for communication.
"Also, Alo asked me to bring you his greetings. He was the one showed you around the school. I wonder if you still remember him," the apprentice spoke in a light tone.
"Alo?" Angele knew this strong man. He guided him into the underground tunnel when he became a Wizard apprentice, "Where is he? I think he reached rank 3 already."
"They are out for a mission. He left a while ago," the male Wizard apprentice answered immediately.
"Alo failed to break the limit, so he's working hard for the next Water of Asu."
"Ah, so most of the rank 3 Wizard apprentices are out looking for materials." Angele stayed outside collecting materials for a while as well after reaching rank 3.
The other Wizard apprentice waited for his friend to finish before talking, "Master Angele, the vice president of the school, Colin Fear, has asked if you would like to sign the contract with the school. If you're interested, please go talk to him in the Potions Department. If you don't want to sign it, please leave the school within 5 days. Also, without the contract, your rights in the school will be limited. Wizard Maryland wants to see you in the garden if you have time."
Angele had already decided to leave the school, so he was not concerned.
"Please tell Master Colin Fear that I'll leave the school, but I'm still a disciple of Master Liliana. Also, I'll deal with the issue between me and Maryland."
The management team in the school would probably help Maryland if he chose not to sign the contract, and he could understand the reasons.
"I'll let him know." The Wizard apprentice bowed, turned around and left the hallway.
The other Wizard apprentice bowed as well and started leaving.
Angele closed the door and left the dorm. He walked down the hallway and started heading to the garden area.
The golden crystal shot out the white light into the lake, and the whole garden area brightened up. Two Wizards wearing black robes were standing beside a long chair by the lake. It seemed as if they were waiting for someone to arrive.
They just stood there without saying anything. Formal Wizards were feared by the Wizard apprentices, so most of the people nearby tried to stay away from the two.
After several minutes, another black-robed man walked out of the bush.
The two Wizards approached him and took off their black hoods. The one in the front was an old man with white messy hair and the one behind him was a young beautiful lady. Her left eye was covered in a black eyepatch.
"Master Angele, you're a healthy young man, why are you so slow?" The old man chuckled and asked.
Angele took off his hood and revealed his white hair.
"You must be Wizard Maryland?" He smiled.
Maryland nodded, "I invited you here to discuss the conflict between you and three of my apprentices. I hope you can resolve this matter peacefully. They offended you because they had no other choice at that moment."
"Ah, you want to compensate me?" Angele nodded as well. If Maryland could offer him something valuable, he could consider forgiving those Wizard apprentices.
"1000 magic stones. Not bad, eh?" Maryland showed Angele one finger.
Angele was a bit surprised, and he stopped smiling.
"1000 magic stones?"
"Well, actually, how about 2000?" Maryland saw Angele's expression changing, so he decided to increase the amount.
"If you can promise not to hurt them, you'll become a friend of ours. Also, you can purchase a lot of rare materials with 2000 magic stones. I can prepare it right away."
Angele's eyebrows furrowed. He did not want to befriend them at all but instead wondered why Maryland was trying so hard to protect those Wizard apprentices.
It seemed like Maryland was still treating him as if he was a Wizard apprentice. He must have known that Angele was from overseas and had no local background, so he decided to solve the conflict by compensating Angele with magic stones.
"What do you think?" Maryland continued asking.
"Rank 3 Wizard apprentices are the future of the school. It would be painful to watch them die."
Angele looked at Maryland, not uttering a single word.
The situation was quite awkward. Maryland had spoken several reasons, but he stopped after getting frustrated.
"Master Angele, I think I already made things clear. Do you really have to kill them all? They are my beloved apprentices." Maryland increased the volume of his voice.
"People shall pay for their faults," Angele responded calmly.
"Stepped forward you three. I know you're here."
Maryland looked at the female Wizard behind him. They did not know what else they could do.
"Annie, Adele, come here," Maryland shouted.
Three Wizard apprentices wearing gray robes walked out of the bush slowly and stood beside the three Wizards.
"Master Maryland, Master Ancore, and Master… Angele." They bowed and greeted.
"Tell me what you want," Marland said in a grim tone.
"Let me decide what I want to do with them." Angele had no expression on his face.
"You can't protect them forever."
The two Wizards were a bit speechless. Maryland looked at Angele and opened his mouth, but he ultimately did not say anything.
They knew Liliana was his backer. It was not a good idea to infuriate her.
"Whatever," the female Wizard behind Maryland opened her mouth and said, "Let's go. He won't accept our offer. There's no point in talking to him anymore."
"5000 magic stones. What do you say? At least let them live. Adele is my grandson." Maryland was not giving up at all. 5000 magic stones were all he could offer.
Angele creased his eyebrows. He had just become a formal Wizard and did not want to make too many enemies.
"One hand. I will cut off one of their hands. Acceptable?" He decided to compromise.
"Of course." Maryland nodded immediately.
"Well then." Angele glanced at the three Wizard apprentices.
*CHI*
He raised his hand and a silver dagger appeared from nowhere.
"You're fine with this, right? It's a punishment you have to take," Angele asked in a calm tone.
The Wizard apprentices lowered their heads.
"Yes…" The rank 2 Wizard apprentice Adele responded in a low voice.
A silver flash went through their left arms which returned to Angele's hand after.
They screamed and held their left arms with their right hands. Blood spurted out from their left arms from where they had been amputated, and the grass below their feet was soaked in the red fishy liquid.
Maryland pointed at them with his finger. Three balls of green light dots covered their wounds, and he gave them some healing gel to stop them from bleeding to death.
Angele looked at the three for a second before he spoke in a light tone, "Keep the magic stones. Farewell."
"Thanks." Maryland nodded again. He was thankful that Angele didn't kill his apprentices.
14 days later.
In the morning.
At the ruin above the Ramsoda College, a green carriage slowly left the bridge and entered the forest. Inside the carriage, Annie and Adele sat opposite to each other, while Jack was in the corner.
Annie looked out the window. She still could feel the phantom pain constantly coming from her missing hand, her eyes filled with hatred.
"Angele Rio, one day I'll make you pay for what you have done to me," she muttered.
"Come on Annie, that prick is already a formal Wizard. We are nowhere close to him." Adele shook his head.
"It's just a hand… We can buy some special potion and reattach it," Jack interjected.
"I'll kill this bastard after I break the limit. We should do it together."
"I think I can break the limit after I get back this time. My family has prepared everything for me. My talent level is 3, so it should be easy. I know someone who can tell us where this Angele came from, then I'll make his whole family suffer." Annie sneered.
A crow flew over their carriage.
*GA*
It was flying to a small hill beside the trees.
On top of the hill, there was a young man in a hunting suit silently standing. It was Angele. His white hair mixed with his brown hair, and his body was well-built.
He looked at the approaching carriage and took out a telescope from his pouch. It was the one Liliana gave him.
He pulled the door on the side open. A yellow note was inside of it.
Angele opened the note.
'Dead men tell no tales.'
Angele kneaded the note and held it in his right hand.
He smiled and raised his left hand. A ball of silver metal liquid gathered on his palm and turned into a metal longbow within seconds. Angele raised his right hand. The note in his hand was covered with a good amount of silver liquid and it turned into a long arrow.
He nocked the arrow onto the bow and put his hand upon the translucent bowstring.
Angele pulled the bowstring to full.
*CHI*
The arrow drew a silver arc in the air and landed on the green carriage accurately.
*BOOM*
A red fireball exploded upon the carriage. The horse and the Wizard apprentices inside were all blown into pieces. The only thing left on the ground was the burnt mark and pieces of human flesh.
Angele lowered his longbow and looked at the burnt mark for a second. He turned around and jumped off the hill as he disappeared into the forest.