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Chapter 488: Assignment
Chapter 488: Assignment
Chapter 488: Assignment
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The White Stag, Town Square.
Aiden, Art, and Eleiney were inside thier respective rooms. They had just finished having dinner and were about to sleep.
Then all of a sudden, a familiar voice rang inside their minds at the same time.
'Come to my room.'
The children's eyes lit up in surprise and they hurriedly jumped down from their beds and made their way to Adam's room.
It hadn't even been a minute and the three of them had already barged in through his door.
"Professor!"
"You're finally back!"
"Where have you been?!"
The young Magi shot out questions one after another, their eyes gleaming with excitement. Seeing such expressions on thier faces, Adam's heart warmed.
His lips curled up into an amused smile as he asked, "What's with this reaction? Did you guys miss me?"
Art crossed his arms and looked away. "Hmph, o-of course not!"
"Y-Yeah, we were just surprised is all." Aiden vigorously nodded his head.
Meanwhile, Eleiney covered her mouth and started giggling, "Yes, professor, we missed you."
Adam couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. He lowered his head and saw Valerian snuggling in his arms. "Little Val, did the kids trouble you?"
"Myu!" Valerian nodded as he found a comfortable position and soon dozed off.
"No, we didn't!" Art complained with a wronged expression. "We took Lord Valerian for a walk every day!"
"That's right!" Aiden nodded. "We even bought delicious food for him every other hour!" "Speaking of," Eleiney began. "Professor, you should have told us that Lord Valerian has six to eight meals a day. We were worried that he was simply over-indulging in your absence."
"Ah, that's right." Adam clicked his tongue. He dotingly stroked the grey fur on the young dragon's back and added, "I forgot to tell you, the little guy has quite the appetite."
He then looked at his students and asked with a smile, "Anyway, have you been practicing mindfulness diligently? And what about the arcane textbooks that I'd given you? Have you finished reading them?"
"Yes, Professor!" The three kids replied in unison.
"Good." Adam nodded in approval. "How is your progress toward the Bone Stage coming along? Have you been bathing in the medicinal solution that I brewed before leaving?"
"The progress is slower than I expected," Art grumbled.
"Any progress is good progress," said Adam with a solemn expression. "Did you think you would become a Mana Liquefaction Magus in a couple of years?"
"But didn't you become one in only five years?" Aiden asked with shining eyes.
It wasn't a secret to them that Adam had taken such little time to advance to Rank 2 Magus. In fact, he was the one who had told them of this, hoping this would motivate them.
"Yes, but my path toward the Mana Liquefaction Rank was carved with blood, sweat, and tears," Adam replied with a rueful smile.
"I faced death in the eyes more times than I can count, and along the way, I've lost people who I've held dear. I faced one setback after another that helped me transform myself spiritually and physically. That's how I was able to arrive at this threshold in a mere five years."
"Professor..." Eleiney fidgeted with her fingers and asked softly, "Can we also reach the Mana Liquefaction Rank in five years?"
"It's not impossible," said Adam as he stroked his chin.
He was planning to impart his knowledge regarding the philosophy of the Way to them anyway. He wanted them to find their own Way of Magic before they advanced to Rank 2.
However, they were different from him.
Adam had access to the memories of the experts from the greater universe. In these memories, were their comprehension of the Way. This allowed him to understand this philosophy at great speed.
But the same couldn't be said for his students. The philosophy of the Way was an esoteric knowledge. Thanks to him, they would be introduced to it at such an early age. However, it would take a long time for them to understand it-even the basics of it.
Adam had already decided in his heart, that until and unless they had comprehended the basics of this philosophy and found their Way of Magic, he would not allow them to advance to the Mana Liquefaction Rank.
The advantage that a Magus who found his own Way of Magic before advancing to Rank 2, compared to a Magus who hadn't, was like the difference between the clouds and the mud.
However, this would only start to bear fruit in the later ranks. Adam believed that it was absolutely imperative for his students to understand this.
They were his first students, after all. And he wanted nothing but the best for them. He wanted them to advance to great ranks and live long and fulfilled lives.
"However, even if it takes you more than five years, a decade even, you will advance to the Mana Liquefaction Rank," he said confidently.
"A decade?!" Art blurted out. "Isn't that too long? I've heard my other friends say that the average time it usually takes is about seven years!"
"But I want you to learn something before you advance to the next rank," Adam replied with a solemn expression. "It is important that you do this."
"Learn what?" Aiden grumbled exaggeratedly. "If it's going to take me ten years to-"
POW!
Adam smacked the kid on the forehead. He then looked at Art who was about to say something and smirked. "You want one too?"
"N-No, I'm good!" Art hurriedly waved his hands in panic.
"Anyway, what about the assignments I'd given you? I hope you were able to finish them. I'd
be very disappointed otherwise."
"Professor, rest assured. We have finished the tasks you gave us," Eleiney stated with a
serious expression.
"Good." Adam gestured. "Go ahead, I'm listening."
Eleiney began giving detailed accounts of what she had read about the town's history at the public Library. Then, Aiden spoke about the investigations they had carried out in the last
week.
Finally, Art disclosed to him the conversation that the three of them had with the mayor of the town, Wyndham Hobbs.
Adam's eyebrows gradually wrinkled and he mumbled, "Magus Stratford wasn't able to kill
Morven?"
"That's right!" Aiden nodded solemnly. "The mayor said that Magus Stratford sealed the villain in the heart of the Weeping Woods."
Adam was silent for a long time before he asked, "And the Howlett Family's patriarch was
corrupted by the secret inheritance left behind by Morven?"
Eleiney nervously gulped, her eyes flashing with terror. "He then killed his entire family
before being slain by the mayor and the town council members."
The frown on Adam's face deepened as he asked, "So the werewolves were summoned by the Howlett Patriarch from inside the seal, huh?"
"Yes, Professor," Art muttered softly.
Adam couldn't help but think to himself, So Morven the Malevolent is still alive and the
werewolves are his spawns?
Add to that what the mayor just divulged to me under the effects of the Suggestion spell...
This is becoming very tricky!