A Sorcerer's Journey - Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Promotion

“I’m more than willing to!” Grimm opened his eyes wide.

“Good. Then you’ll be my third apprentice. The guy Varro is the second student I’ve accepted and before him, I have Deep Spring.” Sorcerer Peranos’s face looked heavy as he mentioned Deep Spring. “She’s a good student, but she’s alway on business and doesn’t stay here.”

Grimm rose up, approached Sorcerer Peranos and bowed to him in the most respectful manner.

“Master.” Grimm didn’t want to run the risk of being dismissed by saying a redundant word.

<pre><code> The famous First-Year Student Sorcery Test had come to a conclusion. Grimm was reclining leisurely on his bed in his dormitory. It was a luxury which he had been deprived of for 30 days. “I finally have a future— a decent future! I’ve a mentor who’s a sorcerer!” Grimm reinforced his grip on a random book in his hand. His eyes were determined. Soon, Grimm jumped out of bed and was eager to experiment with the new samples he had collected during the test. The first thing was that rare fire element, and the mission confronting him was how to cure it into his Element Matrix. If he succeeded, there would be a significant rise in his mental strength. The second thing concerned Sun Child’s blood sample. Grimm had vialed her blood stains left in the dirt, which she shed when she was knocked down to the ground by the exploding bead. As a big figure from the Black Isotta and a potential sorcerer whose name was ironed out in the third mirror house’s reward table, there must be something worthy of meticulous research in her blood. The third was about the hallucinogenic substance carried in the mushroom’s spores, which almost caused him faint before the first mirror was dropped in the forest. The Symbiotic Insects he had raised had buzzed in his ears and saved him. Now Grimm had a strong desire to deepen his relationship with the Symbiotic Insects. Grimm put the Sun Child’s blood sample and mushroom fragments into separate Petri dishes and kept them in a sub-zero temperature environment. Afterward, he returned back to the bed and held his new crystal ball in hand. He watched it earnestly as if it was his baby who he was taking care of. Suddenly there was a round of sharp knocks on his door. “It’s midnight. Who would come to me at this time?” Grimm frowned, and quietly put aside his ball on his pillow’s side. Without much thinking, Grimm answered the door. What he would meet with was dislike, blame and even curses. “Where the hell have you been? The test has been over for two days, and you’re still not coming to me?” It was Lefay who, with a long face, roared out a series of questions. “I was gonna…” Grimm tried to make an explanation. “Why did you leave us? Why did you take the Bead? You left the whole group in danger, don’t you know that?” Lefay stepped up the offensive. During the quarrel, Grimm was being pushed backwards until he reached the window and hit his head on it. “Ah!” Grimm let off a cry. Lefay’s gloomy face turned into a loving one. “Are you okay?” Lefay asked lightly. “Come on. I’m fine. I’m Sorcerer Peranos’s student; I will always be fine.” Grimm boated. Lefay returned by pouting her mouth, and she made a suggestion, “It’s a huge thing! So what do you say we celebrate it?” “Celebrate? Like how?” “Like doing it!” That night, without having to worry about their life being taken, both of them sunk in sexual intimacy. </code></pre>

The next day’s night, the Death Sail League called up a meeting.

In the meeting hall, Grimm was sitting next to Lefay, silently. He had been used to concealing his brilliance. Robinson was stepping to and fro before Grimm, laying grievances against what a hell he had been through. But Grimm paid little attention.

It was said that 5 of the 13 Superiors (including Solumn) of the League died in the test, and the league members had diminished to under 200. Along with the Death Sail League, there were five other major leagues in the Black Isotta.

The Gore Test had decimated the young students in large numbers. The leagues were invariably shorthanded and were in urgent need of new recruits. And to appeal to the non-affiliated students to join, it called for charismatic leaders. That was the reason why the Death Sail League convened this meeting. And words were in the air that Kyrie, Brianna and Solumn were on the hit list of the five other leagues; the exact reasons were yet known.

Alastair, founder of the Death Sail League, was giving a speech to interpret his vision regarding the growth plans against this new background, and he concluded his speech by saying:

“After giving much thought to it, the League has decided that the new Superiors will be Grimm and Belle!”

Grimm was thrown into a daze by his words. Lefay turned to Grimm and gave him a puzzled look.

The audience was bewildered as well. Most of them yelled for Grimm as he was well-known now. Yet they booed Alastair’s decision to elevate Belle as a Superior because she was rarely known as a “brilliant” student. She had turned down Alastair’s love, yet retained the clinging fibers that linked them up.

Belle was happy about the decision. But Grimm was not quite.

“Grimm, congratulations!” Alastair stepped down the stage and came to Grimm.

Grimm turned to Lefay and begged her as if she was the decider. “I don’t wanna be a Superior. I wanna be left alone to learn sorcery.”

Lefay looked into Grimm’s eyes and saw that they were filled with resolution.

“No, Alastair. Grimm can’t take the position. He has personal stuff to deal with.”

Alastair displayed a terrified countenance on his face. The day before, he was defeated by a leader from another league.

“Lefay, the League need more strong leaders to take us further. Time is different!”

“The answer is still no! Grimm is busy. He’s not suitable for such a position!” The sharp-tongued queen persisted unreasonably.

“The League is in peril. We need him.”

“I need him, too.”

…

Unable to persuade her, Alastair gave up and dropped the request.