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.

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.”

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.”

“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.