Chernobyl Islands
“Don't bother with them, their highest potential will only be that of a third-grade acolyte!”
Raynor said with disdain.
“Yeah! That’s right, to acolytes, aptitudes are more important!” Leylin agreed.
Although this group of youths was pretty silent during the forming of their cliques, he naturally did the thing that would benefit him the most.
Amongst the acolytes, Jayden had the capability to be independent, but Leylin did not have such a good aptitude, so he could only join a group. Also, by comparing, naturally it was the group with Kaliweir’s as the head with a better future.
“Haha…...Welcome! Welcome! With your participation, our group is now more robust, there will definitely be a day where I will make that person regret!”
Kaliweir said while clenching his teeth. Afterwards, a few of them arranged to meet after dinner, and they went back to their respective huts.
“Beirut, what did you mean earlier when you said it was a different continent?” Leylin looked for the most amiable, Beirut, and asked him as he was concerned about what Beirut had said earlier.
“Oh…... This, you know! Actually, the continent we’re on is rather small. To the outside world, it is known as the Chernobyl Islands!”
“Island?” Leylin gaped. According to his journey in the past half a year, he could almost be certain that this continent was as huge as the Eurasian continent he was in from the previous world. But it was only an island here?
“Oh! Sorry! Geography is my weak subject, and it has often made my home tutor shudder in rage!” Leylin explained.
Truth be told, the Farlier family is only a noble family, and its heritage was pretty short. It couldn’t be compared to the nobles of those huge families, so not knowing was not a rare thing.
“Ha ha!” Hearing Leylin speak, Beirut laughed jovially, “Me too! I have made 5 etiquette tutors leave in rage! In the end, my father offered a monthly salary, but still no one wanted to teach me. This was something my father had specially told me right before I left!”
“Let us continue on the previous topic, we are in the Chernobyl Islands, and the outside world has coined another name for it: The Barren Islands!”
“Barren?” Leylin was a little skeptical, “There are still quite a few people here and plenty of kingdoms, could it be that it is referring to the lack of certain resources?”
“That’s right! In the Chernobyl Islands, due to the environment here, or some external factors, the land here is unable to produce any of the materials a Magus needs. Apart from the earnest acolytes and Magi in seclusion, there are absolutely no other traces of Magi here on this continent!”
“So that is the case!” Leylin nodded his head, and although there were myths of Magi back in his homeland, only the founder of the Farlier family has seen a Magus. From this, one can see the rarity of Magi.
“And so, we need to go to the other side of the seas before we can truly find a continent! I heard that not only are there various kinds of resources that Magi need, but there are countless traces of secrets and remnants of experimental labs. On the whole, the continent has various academies and organisations that trade and exchange the information of magic!”
“On that continent, Magi are not a legend! Although they are still uncommon, even a regular human may be able to see one! Only there can we advance in the progress of our acolyte abilities!” Beirut’s eyes gave off obvious signs of yearning.
“So that is the case! What is the name of that continent then?” Leylin asked.
“I don't know!” Beirut shook his head, “That continent is too huge! There was never a unified name for it. As for us, we’re going to the south of the continent, and it is known as the narrow coastal regions of the south! Just the south coastal regions alone is several times bigger than the Chernobyl Islands that we’re on!
“Siii!” Leylin sucked in a breath of cold air.
“So huge?”
“This world is indeed very vast. The higher one stands, the further one can see! This is a phrase from a bard that I like very much.” Beirut concluded.
“Thank you for your explanation! I think I need some time to digest the information!” Leylin bade his farewells and returned to his own hut.
There was a metal plaque on the yellow wooden door where a “9” was written, and it looked to be rather rusty.
Pushing the door open, an odour of rot and rust invaded his nose.
Leylin uncontrollably sneezed twice.
“It looks like this is just a gathering point, so the accommodations are rather simple!” Besides a bed and chair in the wooden hut, there was practically nothing else.
Leylin found a cloth, wiped down the chair, and then sat on it.
* Creak Creak * The wooden chair creaked continuously, which made Leylin worry that it would be crushed into pieces in the next moment.
“Lucky it is just for a night! In this condition, it would be better to clean up a little first!”
Leylin patted the dust off his body and walked out of the wooden hut. He had made plans to meet with George and the others, and since he had already chosen his academy now, he should tell them so that they could properly write to each other in the future.
For the batch of acolytes that Leylin was in, they were considered one of the later groups to reach the camp. After Leylin’s batch had chosen their schools, the various tents of the academies seemed to have fewer people visiting them, and it looked to be much quieter.
“Ennea Ivory Ring Tower, it’s here!” Leylin walked to the back of the student quarters and blocked the path of a familiar girl from the same travelling party.
“Hi Lisa, do you know where George is?” Lisa was a red-haired girl who had matured early; one could already see the fine curves on her body.
“Ley…… Leylin!” Lisa blushed, as she had a good impression of Leylin, who had helped several acolytes along the journey a number of times.
“George is in room 13, I’ll call him for you!” Lisa picked up her skirt, and rapidly ran off.
Whiffing the perfume that was lingering in the air, Leylin’s heart trembled.
“Leylin!” This lecherous thought was very soon broken by a joyous voice.
George had obviously taken a bath and changed his clothes. He had also shaved his mustache and gave off a very refreshing look.
“Have you finished choosing your academy?” George said loudly, as he patted Leylin’s shoulder.
“Yes, I did, the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy!” Leylin replied.
“Abyssal Bone Forest Academy!” George touched his chin, “I heard from my female seniors that it seems to be famous for its Shadow and Dark element magic! I hope you won’t piss in your pants because of a skeleton during the night!”
“Female seniors?” Leylin shook his head and had even more admiration for George’s abilities for seducing women.
“Hehe…...Those who are able to participate in the aptitude test are all of the nobility, and it just so happens that I met a distant cousin, an elder female cousin!” George laughed smugly as if having earned something.
“As for the skeletons and whatnot, I think we’ll see them not only at night but even in broad daylight!” Leylin laughed bitterly, as he had signed an acolyte contract with a skeleton not too long ago.
“No matter what, as long as you know the location it’s fine! Let’s keep in contact in the future!” George said seriously, a big change from his smug expression earlier.
“Let’s keep in contact!” Leylin nodded.
“Oh yeah! Do you know where Bessita went to?” George asked suddenly.
“Bessita?” Leylin shook his head.
After the previous attack of the wolves, the vibrant and beautiful girl had been much more silent, but at least she had endured and safely here arrived.
“Yeah! I heard from other companions that her aptitude wasn't that great, only that of a second-grade acolyte, so she entered the Wetland Gardens Academy!
“I know now! Thanks!” Leylin was not too interested in the affairs of this girl.
Although she was the one the previous Leylin really admired, to him, a girl of thirteen or fourteen years of age was only a child! And the previous encounters were just a child’s mischief.
“How is it? Do you feel a little wasteful because you were unable to get her in your hands……?” George once again changed back to having a lewd expression.
“Scram……”
After another one to two hours, the sky had already darkened. Leylin was in the camp of the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy and enjoyed the dinner provided by the academy with the other acolytes.
This time, the dinner was extremely sumptuous, and because they were leaving tomorrow, they were generous with the portions.
Various fruit juices and wine, fragrant barbecue chicken, fish sauce, truffles, fruits, and salads had all satisfied the belly of Leylin who had not eaten much ever since he appeared in the grasslands.
The acolytes were eating and drinking within several groups, and Leylin’s eyes looked towards the corner and found Professor Dorotte and Jayden standing at a corner. Jayden also spoke a few words to him occasionally.
“Having a fifth-grade acolyte in this semester, we are really lucky!”
Beirut tore a huge strip of chicken thigh off the barbecue and gave it a huge bite.
“Ever since Jayden arrived, Professor Dorotte and him have spoken on a few occasions, I wonder what they are talking about?”
“For acolytes, the aptitude will greatly determine the progress of a Magus. What Professor Dorotte is doing is rather normal. Beirut, eat your barbecue chicken!”
Kaliweir’s voice turned cold, and only after seeing Beirut drink the fruit juice and lowering his head did he turn his gaze back on the barbeque.
“Although the aptitude is important for a Magus, it isn't everything. Only the accumulation and comprehension of information is the true motivator and key to the rise of the Magi’s powers!”
A third-grade acolyte added.
Although it was the truth, the atmosphere in the group darkened as the saw Jayden and the professor chatting away. The group silently ate their delicacies, seemingly having lost their appetites.
“Ha ha…… Guricha, hurry, what happened, what happened next?”
On the other side, the lower aptitude acolytes sat in a circle with Guricha was in the middle, narrating a risky adventure.
He had eloquence and was humorous in his speech. Nyssa and Dodoria held their tummies and laughed coquettishly as if they were two happy skylarks.
Compared to them, this side was pretty silent.
The group looked at each other and craned their necks, listening intently. However, only Kaliweir retained his prideful expression.
Seeing that even the fourth-grade acolyte Raynor could not bear to go over and listen and seemed afraid of losing face, Leylin laughed silently.
“After all, they are just a bunch of kids!”
After dinner time was over, the group bade their goodbyes and went back to their respective huts.
After today’s simple cleaning, Leylin’s hut was barely accommodative. At least there was not as much dust as before.
Leylin lay on his bed without removing his clothes, and he stared blankly at the ceiling as if he was lost in thought.
“I finally entered an academy! It is also time for the cultivation of Magi to open its doors for me!”