The air was as heavy as lead, suffocating everyone in the room. Mentor Lecia's cold, detached calculation—seventy percent multiplied by twenty percent—resulted in that daunting figure: fourteen percent.
After a moment, the first apprentice finally stood up. The harsh SCREECH of a chair dragging against the floor broke the dead silence. Only then did the crowd seem to awaken, surging outward in a chaotic scramble. The arrogance they had arrived with had vanished from their faces, replaced by bewilderment and dread.
Allen blended into the crowd, his pace steady. His heart beat faster, his blood running slightly warm with a vastly different kind of excitement.
To him, a fourteen percent passing rate was not an insurmountable chasm, but a clear screening mechanism. Where there were rules, there were loopholes; where there was a system, there was an optimal solution. The cruelty of this academy was precisely its most equitable trait.
By the time he reached the plaza in front of the Central Library, Vera and Colin had already arrived. Standing beneath the magnificent architecture, they looked exceptionally small. Vera sat on the steps with her head bowed, hugging her shoulders. Colin paced back and forth relentlessly, his face even paler than before.
"Fourteen percent... Out of our entire batch... less than a hundred and fifty people will become true Wizards." Vera's voice carried a hint of a sob. She looked up at Allen, her eyes full of helplessness. "Allen, can we... can we do this? Just hearing the names of those courses..."
"And the Magic Stones," Colin chimed in, his voice hoarse. "Teaching Assistant Carl said that studying costs money. I... I only have a stipend of two hundred Magic Stones. What is that going to cover? If I fall behind in the courses and get expelled..."
He didn't dare finish the sentence. For someone who had gambled everything to come here, the consequences were too unbearable to fathom.
"Can you read?" Allen didn't offer empty comforts; instead, he asked a seemingly irrelevant question.
Vera and Colin both froze for a moment before instinctively nodding.
"I know the Kingdom's common tongue," Vera whispered.
"Me too... My father is a town clerk, and he taught me," Colin added.
"Then this isn't the worst-case scenario," Allen said, his calm tone carrying a soothing power. "Teaching Assistant Carl mentioned that 'those who are illiterate must hurry and learn.' That means there are individuals among the freshmen who lack even basic reading and writing skills. We are already a step ahead.
"As for the courses," he continued, pausing to glance at both of them, "did you notice the categorizations on the course list? [Basic Theory], [Practical Skills], and [General Knowledge of the Wizard's Path].
"This proves that the knowledge system is highly structured. Theory is the foundation used to understand the world, while practice is the application, the means to acquire power."
His clear, logical explanation began to dispel the fear-induced chaos in their minds.
"You probably haven't realized it yet," Allen continued. "The greatest value of this public curriculum lies in its 'universality' and 'foundational nature.' It provides everyone with the exact same underlying logic. This means that as long as we master the theories, we can understand the essence of most Magic phenomena. To me, that is a good thing.
"As for the issue of Magic Stones," he said, shifting his gaze toward the apprentices hurrying in the distance, "the academy provides a task hall. Where there is a need, there is a market. And where there is a market, there is money to be made.
"However, we currently know nothing about the local prices, the difficulty of the tasks, or the value of our own abilities. Therefore, our current goal shouldn't be to worry about the future, but to figure out three things: the cost of learning, the efficiency of earning money, and our own learning speed."
A preliminary business model emerged in his mind: paid knowledge. On Earth, this was a ubiquitous model, but here, it might just be a completely untapped blue ocean.
"I have a rough idea," Allen said, looking at them. "The theoretical courses probably won't be a problem for me. If you encounter any difficulties in your studies, I can offer my help—free of charge."
Seeing their eyes light up, he changed the subject. "However, I need a favor in return. During your upcoming classes, keep an eye out. Note how many people are falling behind, what they lack the most, and what price they would be willing to pay to have their 'doubts resolved.' Treat this as your task. Observe and record."
Vera and Colin nodded, half-understanding. They had no idea what Allen was planning, but they understood the part about him offering help. Like clutching at a lifeline, Vera instinctively believed that this former Prince could achieve anything.
"Have you realized that everyone here speaks the same language?" Allen asked, turning toward the doors of the Central Library. "It's not surprising. The Wizard Organization selects apprentices from countless Planes. If every Plane used its own language, the communication costs would be unacceptably high. Therefore, mandating a 'Universal Wizard Tongue' in the Planes they have established stable contact with is the most efficient and economical management method."
Allen had noticed this issue the moment he entered the academy. It was the necessary prerequisite for all his plans.
"Let's go. Let's check out the library," he said, taking the lead up the steps.
The three of them walked silently into the Central Library. At the entrance lay an invisible energy Force Field. The moment they stepped through it, the clamor of the outside world was completely severed. A scent composed of aged paper, ink, and trace amounts of dissipated Magic Power enveloped them.
The space inside was unimaginably vast. Rows of dark, heavy wooden bookshelves towered dozens of meters high, stretching like a silent phalanx of giants into the shadowy reaches of the vaulted ceiling. The aisles between the shelves were wide enough for two carriages to drive side by side. Soft, white orbs of light hovered in midair, tirelessly radiating a gentle glow that illuminated this ocean of knowledge. Countless black Magic Carpets zipped up and down silently beside the towering shelves, carrying apprentices retrieving books from the upper levels.
Countless figures moved about. Some paused before the shelves, craning their necks to search; some sat on floating Magic Carpets, gliding slowly across the upper tiers; even more were gathered in the expansive reading area in the distance, their heads buried in thick tomes and parchment scrolls. The entire library was incredibly quiet, save for the occasional, extremely faint rustle of turning pages echoing from afar.
Allen walked toward the nearest row of shelves, which bore a gleaming plaque: [Plane Science - Basic Section]. He reached out to take a book titled *Report on the Pan-Material Energy Cycle of the G0725 Plane*. Before his fingertips could even graze the spine, a faint blue Rune light screen materialized on the cover, displaying a line of crisp, small text:
[Borrowing Privileges: Advanced Apprentice and above. Cost: 3 Low-Level Magic Stones per 72-hour loan.]
Beside him, Colin tried to pick up an *Illustrated Guide to Elemental Realm Creatures (Fire Elemental Edition)*, only to be blocked by a similar light screen. The price was 5 Low-Level Magic Stones. Vera had her eyes on a thin booklet titled *Supplementary Techniques for the Universal Meditation Method*, which cost 2 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Knowledge was a clearly priced commodity here, and an expensive one at that. For new students who only received a stipend of two hundred Magic Stones a year, casually borrowing a few books could plunge their lives into poverty.
"Look over there," Allen said, gesturing toward a corner.
A senior apprentice was standing in front of a terminal-like device. He pressed his identification card against it. With a flash of light, a thick, heavy tome bound by a Magic Light Belt unlocked with a satisfying click. The apprentice picked up the book expressionlessly and turned to leave. The entire process was highly efficient and completely silent.
"There's a free section here," Vera said, her sharp eyes spotting a directional sign.
Following the sign, they arrived at a relatively secluded area. The bookshelves here were much fewer, mostly stocked with academy regulations and reading materials so basic they bordered on common sense.
Allen spotted his target. He walked straight to the end of the section and pulled a massive tome, over a dozen centimeters thick, from the shelf: *General Environmental and Civilization Observation Report of the Gaia World (3rd Edition)*. The book had a rough hardcover without any magical luster—clearly a heavy hitter among the free readings.
To win the battle, one must first know the battlefield. Before exploring this new world, he had to thoroughly understand his Plane of origin. This report likely contained deep, fundamental information regarding Gaia.
Vera and Colin also selected a free book each: the *Seven Towers Alliance Apprentice Code of Conduct* and the *Basic Magic Material Identification Catalog*, respectively.
Carrying their books, the three of them made their way to the brightly lit reading area. Hundreds of wide, long tables were arranged here, and nearly every seat was taken. Most of the apprentices sat alone with mountainous piles of books stacked in front of them. Their expressions were intensely focused, their pens flying rapidly across their notebooks as they jotted down information. There were also small groups of two or three, but they communicated in the lowest of whispers, or used Feather Pens to write and draw on the same piece of paper for discussion. The academic atmosphere was so dense that one hardly dared to breathe too loudly.
They found empty seats and sat down. As Allen opened the heavy report, the chapter titles in the table of contents immediately captured his full attention.
"Chapter 1: Universal Coordinates of the Gaia Plane and Plane Crystal Wall Strength."
"Chapter 2: Overview of Geological Structures and Resource Distribution of Major Continental Shelves."
"Chapter 3: Assessment of Social Structures and Civilization Levels of Major Intelligent Races (Humans, Elves, Dwarves...)"
...
"Appendix 21: Nobility Pedigrees and Records of Power Transitions in the Gaia Human Kingdom."
This was not a simple introductory text. It was a cold, precise anatomical report of his world, conducted by an Observer from a higher dimension. Allen even spotted the words "Rhine Kingdom" and "Wesren Royal Family" in the appendix! The memories of his identity as a Prince felt like an insect specimen being scrutinized inside a glass box when faced with this report.
Suppressing the tumultuous emotions in his heart, he began to read ravenously. DSeek's recording function operated at maximum capacity, transforming page after page of text and charts into structured data, storing it deep within his memory.
Time quietly slipped away in this ocean of knowledge.
He didn't know how long had passed when Vera gently nudged his arm.
"Allen, look." She handed over her identification card. On its smooth surface, a line of glowing text hovered, serving as a reminder for tomorrow's classes.
[Morning, Periods 1 and 2. Location: Public Teaching Building A-3, Lecture Hall 07. Course: Meditation Magic (Universal Version). Instructor: Teaching Assistant Carl.]
Meditation Magic.
Allen tore his gaze away from the *Gaia Report* and focused on that simple line of text. The suffocating pressure from the opening ceremony, the vast sea of knowledge in the library—everything pointed to this very starting point.
It was the first cornerstone on the path of every Wizard. It was the first fulcrum to leverage the Sea of Magical Power. It was the true beginning of the metamorphosis from a mortal into something transcendent.
No matter how much theory he read, it remained merely theoretical until put to the test. Tomorrow, for the first time, he would personally touch the most fundamental power of this world.
He closed the heavy report. The muffled THUD of the book snapping shut echoed distinctly in the quiet reading area.