Chapter 94 (2/2)

Even so, none of the apprentices dared to voice their displeasure. It was Bale’s Mage Tower after all, so his words were the law. No one had the guts to challenge any of Bale’s decisions.

Even Link himself was shocked by Bale’s announcement. He never thought that such a thing would happen. As he looked up his eyes were met with Bale’s own extraordinary pair. For a few moments, both were staring deep into each other’s eyes.

Link’s eyes were deep and impenetrable, while Bale’s eyes were naturally emitting a dignified aura. In the brief moment that they made eye contact, their different spiritual forces inadvertently collided.

Seconds later, Link lowered his eyes and with a joyful expression said, “Thank you, tutor!”

Bale blinked unwittingly, and his brows were slightly raised.

He had decided to accept the young apprentice as his disciple because he was impressed by his extraordinary magic scrolls. Compared to the other apprentices, Link’s skill in creating magic scrolls was indeed spectacular. However, what had really caught Bale’s eyes was Link’s masterful control of Mana, especially after hearing how Link could engage in such an intense activity as producing magic scrolls for many days in a row.

Being able to tirelessly produce magic scrolls for many consecutive days proved that Link possessed a powerful soul, and this was one of the essential qualities of a great Magician.

Link’s weak Mana was not a problem at all because he was still very young. Bale believed that there will be a great development in his innate Mana in the future. Throughout history, there had been numerous great talents who were late bloomers, so a case like Link was not an uncommon one.

Although it was true that the old man had started to delve into the dark art of black magic, his original intention had only been to lengthen his own life. Bale was not an evil man at all. When he discovered a way to guarantee an excellent afterlife for himself, he was naturally delighted, and wanted to find out precisely how he could attain it.

However, after looking into Link’s dark pair of eyes, Bale couldn’t help but feel a little bit unnerved. He was now sure that Link’s soul was very powerful, but in that brief interaction, he’d found that Link’s soul might be so powerful that even he could be overwhelmed by its immense force.

It simply made no sense how such a powerful soul could possess such a weak level of Mana!

Bale had to satisfy his curiosity, so he carefully observed Link again and again. Yet Link never showed the same fierce power he did before and he was now just a normal reverent apprentice no matter how many times Bale examined him.

Was I just imagining it? Bale wondered.

In the past, Bale wouldn’t let such trivial thoughts linger on in his mind. He wouldn’t bat a second eye to it and would completely forget it in a matter of seconds. But those were simpler times when he had nothing to hide.

He couldn’t afford to be so carefree now because he was now plagued by a guilty conscience. He was concealing a terrible secret that he couldn’t let anyone find out. Therefore, any minute details that were out of place would trigger his suspicion nowadays.

I was too reckless just now, Bale thought. I should’ve checked the apprentice’s background more thoroughly before I make any hasty decisions.

Because of the unruly doubts in Bale’s mind fueled by his dark secrets, his readiness to accept Link as his new disciple had been cut in half.

Bale did not realize that although he had dipped his toes into black magic with the initial intention of extending his life, the insidious nature of black magic was no laughing matter. It had planted three treacherous demons in Bale’s heart: Constant Doubt, Fear of Exposure, and Eternal Greed.

Under the efforts of these three demons, the qualities he possessed in the Realm of Light rapidly collapsed without him knowing it.

Then, Bale seemed to forget what he had just said. His attitude toward Link changed drastically and he stopped talking to him completely. He stayed in the hall for a while longer, doing and saying nothing.

After a while he suddenly turned to Darris, one of his most trusted disciples, and said, “I’m tired now. Let’s go back upstairs. When you’re free later, tell Link to move out from his room and arrange for him to stay in a new room on the second floor.”

“Yes, tutor,” replied Darris respectfully.

Bale then stood up, and Darris hurriedly stepped forward to support his tutor’s body. They then headed for the stairs and climbed up to the top of the Mage Tower.

“Darris, what do you think of Link?” asked Bale suddenly. They’d reached the third floor and no one else was around.

“I don’t know much about him,” answered Darris, “He used to be very quiet, and his progress had been average. Had it not been for the military’s order for magic scrolls, I wouldn’t have known that he had such a great talent for magic scrolls. I hear Derek is close to him, so he should know more about Link than I do.” Darris gave a very objective response to the question and he made sure not to mix in any of his personal feelings.

But Bale knew his disciple very well. When he heard Darris’s tone as he spoke of Link, his face crumpled into a frown.

“So you don’t like him, huh?” asked the Master Magician.