“I believe drawing lots to decide each person’s watch shift is the fairest way.”

“No, rotating turns would be better.”

“And how exactly would that rotation work? The difficulty of each shift varies depending on the time and the stretch of road. At our current pace, it will only take five days to reach Outpost 26. There’s no practical way to divide things evenly; chasing absolute fairness is meaningless!”

“Well said. In that case, why don’t you take on more, Daphne?”

Wilfrid sneered from the front of the cabin.

Inside the driver’s compartment of the land-barge, Lynn sat quietly at the controls, listening to the three Silver Ring apprentices bicker.

Their meticulous haggling over every ounce of benefit left him inwardly sighing in amazement.

*No wonder the Silver Ring Academy writes every procedure in their task briefs with such precision.

Fortunately, as the one responsible for installing the array node, my duties are limited to driving the barge and placing the node. The other tasks fall to them. That spares me the trouble…

Indeed, had it not been so, Lynn would never have accepted this mission in the first place.

After a while, the quarrel died down.

They grudgingly agreed to draw lots for the shifts, with a minor concession: whoever drew the worst watch would receive a small magic stone payment from whoever drew the best.

With that settled, Wilfrid and Clifford, whose turns weren’t up yet, headed to the bunks at the back of the cabin, one to meditate and the other to sleep.

Only Daphne remained awake on watch.

“Lynn, may I pet your black cat?” she asked brightly, moving toward Lucky, who sat by Lynn’s feet.

The cat cast her a cool glance, then leapt lightly into Lynn’s lap.

“Lady Daphne, I think it’s best if you focus on your duty,” Lynn said mildly. “For the next eight hours, all our safety rests on you.”

As he spoke, he reclined his seat, cradled Lucky, and closed his eyes, planning to catch some sleep.

Better to rest now, he would need to be sharp for the more difficult night driving.

Emerald Avenue was already well-formed: broad, solid, and well-suited to the Octopedal Land-Barge’s autopilot. In daylight, the vehicle could handle most of the journey. Lynn only needed to take manual control at night or on especially tricky terrain.

That was why even a five-day, nonstop journey required only one driver.

Daphne didn’t take offense at his words. She only pursed her lips and gave him a longer look.

Confirming that he had indeed relaxed into genuine sleep, she found herself reevaluating him.

Not only does he have solid knowledge of arrays, but he’s composed and cautious as well… Who would have thought a small provincial place could produce such an apprentice?

After a moment’s thought, her robe stirred at her will. Silver-violet ribbons unfurled from her collar, climbing upward until they covered her eyes, forming two transparent crystalline lenses.

She studied Lynn again and blinked in surprise.

*His aura hasn’t fully stabilized yet… he’s only just advanced to First-Rank Apprentice?

At that age, just stepping into this level, his talent is at best above average. And splitting his focus with array studies, his combat strength must be limited…

Lynn, of course, had no idea what Daphne was thinking.

But he was indeed at ease, just as she guessed.

After all, he was the only one among them capable of installing the array node. That alone ensured the others wouldn’t dare act against him.

And besides, he wasn’t undefended. Lucky was very much awake in his lap.

The journey to Outpost 26 was not without incident, but each disturbance was swiftly handled by the Silver Ring apprentices.

The threats were nothing more than low-level beasts, dispatched easily and quickly. Lynn learned little of their true combat abilities.

Determined to make it back in time for the final compulsory classes, he drove hard, pushing the land-barge at top speed, even through the night and over difficult terrain.

As a result, by the afternoon of the fourth day, they arrived ahead of schedule at Outpost 26.

The forward-most outposts along Emerald Avenue were already numbered into the forties.

No longer at the frontier of expansion, Outpost 26 sat in a relatively stable zone. Few personnel were permanently stationed there, and the place seemed quiet.

A First-Rank Apprentice on duty came to greet them and provided a briefing.

“Recently, due to the influence of that second-rank beast, the monsters of the Emerald Forest have been migrating. The number of creatures near Outpost 26 has noticeably increased.

“According to scouting reports, a colony of zero-rank basilisks has settled near the installation site of the array node. This is the summary of our findings.”

The First-Rank apprentice handed over a thin manual.

Daphne, without hesitation, took it first and skimmed through.

“Mid-tier zero-rank basilisks… possibly led by a high-tier zero-rank alpha. Not too difficult to wipe out.”

After making her judgment, she passed the manual back to Wilfrid and Clifford.

“When do we set out?” she asked.

“The sooner, the better,” Wilfrid replied without a second thought. “The earlier we finish, the sooner we get our reward, and the sooner we can take on the next job… It won’t be long until October. I’m sure none of you want to miss the Saint Myrrh Assembly.”

Sitting silently nearby, Lynn listened, curiosity stirring at the mention of this “Saint Myrrh Assembly.”

“What about Clifford?” Daphne asked.

“Either way is fine,” Clifford said flatly.

Wilfrid nodded. “Since Clifford has no objection, let’s not delay. We should leave right now.”

He rose immediately, about to walk out.

“According to procedure,” Lynn said calmly from his chair, “before heading to the installation site, we’re required to use the outpost’s base array to conduct a full inspection and test run of the node.”

Wilfrid frowned. “It’s already afternoon. By the time we finish all that, it’ll be dusk. Traveling the Emerald Forest at night will invite unnecessary trouble.

“The node has already been inspected multiple times before departure; there’s no need for yet another round.”

“If the night is dangerous, then we simply wait until morning,” Lynn replied evenly.

“Don’t forget, thanks to me, we arrived a full day ahead of schedule.”

Wilfrid’s face hardened. He detested Lynn’s calm, unruffled demeanor.

A nobody from some backwater sect, what gives him the right to talk like this?

Yet the boy’s words were perfectly reasonable. He had no ground to refute them.

“This is the Emerald Outpost,” the stationed apprentice interjected at just the right moment. “According to regulations, any apprentice who dares cause trouble here will face no less than six months of penal labor. Even Silver Ring apprentices are no exception.”

Wilfrid turned and shot the guard a glance, masking the displeasure in his eyes, then said no more.

“Best to follow procedure,” Clifford murmured, stroking his beard.

“Yes, inspection is necessary,” Daphne agreed lightly. “Otherwise, if something goes wrong later and we fail the Academy’s mission, all of us will face punishment.”

At Hossens School, failed missions usually brought little more than minor penalties, unless the consequences were grave.

But Silver Ring Academy was another matter. There, punishments and rewards were strictly proportional; sometimes the punishment even outweighed the reward.

With both Daphne and Clifford voicing their stance, Wilfrid had no choice but to relent.

Under Lynn’s direction, the group worked together to unload the array node, giving it one final round of inspection and a test run.

Throughout the process, Wilfrid did not slack off. On the contrary, he worked with remarkable diligence and care.

Thanks to this, in just over two hours, the entire inspection and trial run were complete.

By then, the sun had only just dipped toward the horizon, not yet swallowed by the earth.

Wilfrid looked at Lynn and smiled.

“All the checks are done. The test run is complete. According to the procedure, the next step is to install the array.”

Daphne said nothing, only glanced at Lynn.

Clifford looked at the darkening sky. He had no desire to battle basilisks and install the node in the forest at night. But he didn’t want to be the one to say it aloud, so his eyes turned to Lynn.

Lynn merely gave a faint nod.

“I have no objection.”

Wilfrid blinked, half-narrowing his eyes at Lynn before turning to the others.

“What do you two say?”

“Let’s just get it over with. It’s only a nest of mid-tier basilisks,” Daphne said.

“I’ve no objection,” Clifford added after a moment’s thought.

So the group reloaded the array node onto the Land barge and set off toward the installation site, a few kilometers from Outpost 26.

...

Ten-odd minutes later, they arrived near the designated location.

The outpost’s intelligence had been accurate: a nest of basilisks had indeed settled there, and they were only mid-tier zero-rank creatures.

After a quick round of scouting, Daphne announced:

“No abnormalities. Let’s move quickly.”

She said no more and jumped straight out of the land barge to begin clearing out the basilisks. The other two voiced no objections and followed close behind.

Wilfrid, bringing up the rear, suddenly called out:

“What are you waiting for, Lynn? Get down here and help us clean up the basilisks!”

According to the task assignment, exterminating beasts was not part of Lynn’s responsibilities.

Still, he didn’t want to make things unnecessarily tense. Softening his tone, he replied, “Lord Wilfrid, our roles are different. I need to conserve my strength for the upcoming array installation.”

He thought he had already shown Wilfrid enough courtesy. Yet sometimes, such a conciliatory attitude only made narrow-minded people feel even more slighted.

To Wilfrid, who prided himself on being a Silver Ring apprentice and therefore above Lynn, his composure only made him seem petty and small.

Wilfrid gave a cold snort, said nothing more, and stepped off the land-barge.

Lynn frowned slightly, heightening his vigilance.

The battle went smoothly. Lynn stood aside and observed, gradually gaining insight into the abilities of the three Silver Ring apprentices.

Contrary to appearances, the seemingly delicate Daphne was the strongest of them all.

She wielded some kind of silver lightning spell, fast and devastating. Each strike felled several basilisks with ease. Even the high-tier zero-rank ones could not withstand a single exchange against her.

Moreover, she was clearly well-equipped. As the fight began, her robe unfolded rapidly into a complex suit of full-body armor, wrapping her from head to toe. She looked like one of the armored warriors from Lynn’s past life’s films.

The difference was that this silver-violet armor was not entirely metal, nor covered in sharp edges. Its contours were smooth and elegant, offering great beauty without hindering her movements.

It was undoubtedly a highly advanced magical item, its defenses formidable. Even the corrosive breath of a high-tier basilisk only made its faint violet shield shimmer slightly.

By comparison, Wilfrid and Clifford were clearly weaker.

Their spells packed less punch, and the magical gear they wore was several tiers lower.

Of course, compared to the average First-Rank apprentice of Hossens School, the two were still far better outfitted, both in quantity and quality of gear.

Watching them, Lynn couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.

Aside from his Goldshadow Pendant, the rest of his equipment was nothing to boast about. Items like his Silverwrist Blade were little more than trinkets in contrast.

Within half an hour, the three Silver Ring apprentices had wiped out the entire basilisk nest.

“Time for you to work.” Daphne floated back beside the land barge, dismissing her magical armor.

The silver-violet plates shrank swiftly back into her robe, their built-in cleaning mechanisms stripping away blood and flesh, leaving the pieces to fall to the ground.

Daphne herself emerged spotless, as pristine and refined as ever.

Lynn nodded, guided the land barge into position at the installation site, and brought it to a halt.

It was an open clearing by a lakeshore. After the battle, basilisk corpses lay scattered across the ground.

Close by ran a first-rank mana vein. The purpose of the node they had transported from Emeraldwood City was to channel this mana into Emerald Avenue, powering the massive array that spanned its entire length.

Lynn left the driver’s seat and joined the three Silver Ring apprentices in unloading the array node.

“Now it’s your turn, Lynn,” Wilfrid said with a mocking smile. Then, glancing at Daphne, he added,

“Lady Daphne, I’d like to know more about that robe of yours. Do you have a moment?”

“…Of course,” Daphne arched a brow. “If you’re thinking of buying one, I have inside channels that can get you a discount.”

“I’d like to learn more first…” Wilfrid said as he led Daphne a short distance away.

Splash… splash…

Suddenly, the lake beside them rippled with an odd disturbance, as though something large was moving beneath the surface.

Clifford stiffened, his voice low and urgent.

“Daphne, Wilfrid”

He hadn’t finished when several basilisks burst forth.

But they didn’t emerge from the water. They rose instead from another direction, right where the array node was being placed!

Several corpses that had appeared lifeless suddenly lurched back to motion, lunging straight at Lynn!

Daphne’s eyes snapped to the scene. She immediately tried to rush back to help.

But Wilfrid blocked her path. “Leave it to that Hossens apprentice. He’s been standing around watching long enough; it’s time he did something.

“Snakes have strong vitality, and basilisks even more so. These mid-tier corpses are just twitching on instinct. They won’t cause any real harm.”

“Idiot!” Daphne shot him a cold glare, spat the curse, and stormed past him.

From her scans, she knew Lynn was only a freshly advanced First-Rank apprentice, his aura still unstable. Who knew if he could even handle the beasts?

If he failed, and the installation was delayed, the whole mission could collapse!

Though she rushed with all her speed, Wilfrid’s stalling had taken her just far enough away.

The basilisks were already upon Lynn.

Buzz!

In the next instant, his figure blurred into a golden mist, surging skyward. The basilisk corpses snapped at empty air.

His expression remained calm, but his gaze cut toward Wilfrid, cold as ice.

These weren’t truly living creatures anymore. If not for someone tampering behind the scenes, how could they have “revived” at just this moment to attack him?

Daphne exhaled slightly in relief at his escape.

But then

“It’s ruined!” Clifford’s horrified cry rang out, followed by a faint sizzling sound.

Daphne turned, her face paling.

The once-pristine, tower-like array node now bore a glaring hole, exposing the delicate, damaged structures inside.

A basilisk’s acid spit had landed squarely on it before it was properly installed and before its protective shields had been activated!

The sudden calamity left all four momentarily speechless.

Wilfrid’s eyes flickered with panic, but he quickly masked it and said gravely:

“Lynn, you were standing right next to the node. Why didn’t you stop the basilisk?!”

Daphne’s head snapped toward him, her gaze blazing with fury.

“Enough, Wilfrid! You deliberately drew me away just to ‘teach Lynn a lesson’? And this is the result you wanted? Are you satisfied now?”

“What are you implying, Lady Daphne? This has nothing to do with me,” Wilfrid said coolly.

Clifford frowned, uncertain which side to believe.

Meanwhile, Wilfrid’s initial panic was fading fast. A plan had begun to take shape in his mind.

Smiling faintly at Daphne, he said,

“As things stand, this mission has already failed.

“If the array node was damaged by the basilisk corpses, then all of us who were tasked with clearing the beasts share responsibility.

“But if the damage occurred during the installation of the node… then the blame would hardly fall on us.”

His implication was obvious. Clifford’s eyes narrowed as he listened, and after a moment, he gave a slight nod.

Even Daphne looked momentarily taken aback, a contemplative expression flickering across her face.

Sensing he had their attention, Wilfrid pressed further:

“I know it’s a grave crime for apprentices to directly harm one another.

“But I have a spell that can influence a creature’s mind; it works even on First-Rank apprentices, provided they have no chance to resist.”

At this, Clifford made his decision. His deep voice rang out:

“No time to waste, Lord Wilfrid!”

He charged straight toward Lynn, with Wilfrid following closely behind, his face now set in grim determination.

Only Daphne still hesitated.

Lynn, watching, merely gave Wilfrid a cold, disdainful smile.

Whoosh!

In the next instant, his figure vanished.

Far off beneath a tree by the lakeshore, Lucky revealed herself, hiding silently. The verdant sigil in her mind flared to life, releasing the power she had stored for months, granting it all to Lynn along with her innate gifts.

At first, Wilfrid’s expression didn’t change. But after he and Clifford cast several detection spells in succession and still failed to locate Lynn, his composure cracked.

“Lady Daphne!” Wilfrid turned, seeking her aid.

Daphne frowned, sighing inwardly. The silver-violet ribbons of her robe rose and flowed over her eyes, forming crystalline lenses as she activated its detection functions.

Just then, a recording crystal dropped from the air.

Wilfrid reacted instantly, firing a spell, but Lynn had already shifted position, evading with ease.

The crystal flared, and Lynn’s calm voice filled the air:

“In truth, this mission has not failed. The array node’s damage is only superficial, affecting simple structures. I can repair it.”

His words flipped the situation on its head.

Daphne’s detection module was active now. She glanced around and caught the faint trace of Lynn’s presence to her left front, but she said nothing, acting as though she hadn’t noticed.

Lynn sensed this. After a moment’s pause, he slipped into a deeper state of concealment, shifted position, and went still.

Daphne started in surprise.

Her robe was powerful indeed, but Lucky’s gift of concealment was no trifling matter. What she had glimpsed was only the residual trail of Lynn’s ordinary stealth.

Once he shifted into deeper concealment and stopped moving, she lost him completely.

Wilfrid sneered. “A backwater apprentice like you, how could you possibly have such skill? Do you think we’ll just take your word for it?”

“And how are we to confirm you really have this ability?” Daphne asked instead, her tone measured.

Clifford, too, had ceased his spells, waiting quietly.

If the mission could still be salvaged, that was by far the better outcome.

Wilfrid’s expression shifted uneasily. At that moment, another recording crystal sailed out.

His eyes flickered; he almost lashed out to shatter it, but restrained himself at the last moment.

For all his disdain of Lynn, Wilfrid had never intended to sabotage the mission entirely.

A few mid-tier basilisk corpses shouldn’t have been able to harm even a Second-Rank apprentice, let alone a First-Rank one. He had only left them to harass Lynn, to humiliate him a little, not to cause true damage.

He hadn’t expected the acid to strike the node, risking mission failure.

Now that a solution was possible, what was his pride compared to the consequences?

Lynn’s voice came again through the crystal:

“We can bind it by contract. But on two conditions: first, the report of this mission must state the facts. Second, I want compensation.”

Contracts are the greatest invention of wizarding civilization.

At his words, Daphne and Clifford exchanged a glance. Neither doubted him.

“We are willing to compensate you,” they said together, “and to report this mission truthfully.”

Both turned to look at Wilfrid.

His face twisted, then smoothed again. He swallowed his pride.

If he refused, he would be pitting himself against the other three. That was no wise course.

Besides, in the Silver Ring Academy, results mattered most. As long as the mission succeeded, his misdeeds would earn only light punishment compared to the penalty for failure.

“This was my mistake to begin with,” Wilfrid said at last, forcing humility into his voice. “Lord Lynn, I will compensate you to the best of my ability.”

Still, Lynn knew perfectly well Wilfrid’s “best” would never exceed the cost of failure.

“Is that so? Then I suppose I’ll have to think carefully about what it is I want.”

He wasn’t surprised in the least by their reactions.

No ripple stirred in his heart.

He had long since seen through the Silver Ring apprentices’ nature, profit above all, ever-shifting in their schemes.

The truth was, though Lynn might not realize it himself, he was adapting to such an environment with uncanny ease.

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/AetherTL