Warlock Apprentice

Flora regained her calm expression and discarded the unnecessary thoughts.

 Oh, this is nothing, compared to what I heard about Sumesh…

 “Good afternoon, Miss Flora.” Angor bowed politely.

 Flora folded her umbrella and gently landed in front of him while bringing the smell of rose with her.

 “Good afternoon, dear. I must say you scared me a little. I’m talking about your growth in the past year.”

 “I was lucky.” Angor maintained his neutral smile.

 “Heh. Luck does not favor just anyone, you know.”

 “Please, tell me.”

 Flora saw Angor’s determination, yet she wasn’t so sure whether she should alter Sunders’ decision.

 A part of her said no, but there was another evil voice inside her mind that urged her to do otherwise. After learning about Sumesh’s condition and seeing Angor growing so fast, Flora was worried that she would become the weakest student among them if Angor kept progressing so fast.

 Maybe I can use this chance to slow him down just a little?

 In the end, the rational part of her defeated the evil voice, and she remained quiet.

 She was a wizard after all, and wizards couldn’t let their selfishness take control of their actions.

 “Go find the professor if you really want to know. He’ll tell you if you ask him.”

By this, Flora told Angor that Sunders did mean to tell something. The question was whether Angor was willing to find out.

 Next, Flora looked at the second floor of Sunders’ manor. Somehow, Sunders was standing on his balcony while looking at them with a thoughtful expression.

 Flora waved a hand to say goodbye while sending a voice transmission to her teacher, “Instead of hiding it, how about letting the boy choose for himself?”

 Flora left the manor, while Angor and Sunders stared at each other across the garden.

 After bearing with the awkward silence for a while, Sunders shook his head and sighed.

“Come to my study.”

 …

 Just as Flora said, Sunders had no problem revealing the answer.

 “If you wish to fix something you created on the first spell slot, let’s say, it’ll take you a hundred years or more. Listen, in ten years, or twenty, at most, another Grand Demon will invade the south. If you are still not a wizard by then… you’ll probably die with the other apprentices. There’s nowhere to hide when the demon’s army strikes.

 “This is why I didn’t tell you to spend so much time working on your first spell slot.”

 Angor took a moment to digest the terrible information.

 Rather than thinking about his choices, he was worried about something else.

What will become of my family when the calamity comes?

 Sunders did not mind when he saw that his student was distracted. “If you become a wizard in time, it won’t be hard to protect your kin. So, what is your answer?”

 Angor considered his words and answered as seriously as he could, “I don’t think it’s time to choose yet.”

 “You’re having trouble making up your mind?”

 “No, sir. I mean, you sound as if I should either focus on creating a spell and not become a wizard in time or give up and quickly reach wizard level before the demons come. But, even if I choose the latter, how do you know if I can make it? I’ve been studying wizardry for less than two years!”

 “Oh… oops.”