ebookslot Chapter 69 The Reception at Evans Manor and the Apprentices' Puzzle
Chapter 69 The Reception at Evans Manor and the Apprentices' Puzzle
Sori trembled violently, then abruptly knelt down on his other leg, slamming both knees onto the scorching hot earth. His voice was distorted by extreme terror:
"My lord! I...I am incompetent! I have failed your trust! I deserve to die! I..."
"I'm not here to listen to your nonsense," Raven interrupted directly, her voice flat and emotionless. "Brown."
"Your subordinate is here!" Brown quickly responded, bowing his head even lower.
"Personnel assembly progress?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency! Eleven people have arrived! Another thirteen are on their way at full speed! Everyone is expected to arrive within an hour!"
"No need to wait any longer." Raven's voice was firm and resolute, brooking no argument. "Move now! Anyone arriving later, follow our trail and rendezvous!"
Its gaze shifted to the wriggling white mass on Sorey's shoulder:
"Sean—"
"Your subordinate is here!" Sean's core trembled violently, his voice filled with unprecedented respect and urgency.
"lead the way--"
The raven's cold gaze swept over the kneeling crowd, finally settling on the distant horizon:
"Catch them!"
"Yes, sir!" Sean's core erupted with a blinding white light, and a subtle spore sensor pointing in a specific direction instantly spread out.
"To the east!"
"Chase!"
With that, Raven took the lead, grabbed Sean, and chased after them.
Brown and the others dared not delay, and quickly flipped onto the eagle-headed bat mounts that were already circling around them and emitting low hisses, and followed closely behind!
Sori gritted his teeth and rapidly chanted obscure incantations.
A similar eagle-headed bat appeared from a distance and flew to Sori's side.
He carefully shielded the man in the tattered black robe in front of him, and together they leaped onto the bat's back, carrying heavy humiliation and resentment, and desperately chased after the direction where the raven had disappeared!
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In the grand hall of the Evans family's mountaintop manor, a place of scenic beauty and relatively abundant elemental energy, it had indeed been a long time since so many people had gathered at the same time.
Inside the reception room, an elderly man with white hair and beard and a kind face—the head of the Evans family—sat in the main seat, his gentle gaze sweeping over the disheveled and unsteady white wizard apprentices below.
"It is truly an honor for the Evans family that several young geniuses from the Eternal Tower and Anse Academy have come to our Evans family's small manor." The old man's voice was as warm as a spring breeze.
His tone shifted slightly, tinged with just the right amount of concern, his gaze lingering on Sirius's pale face and the blood-stained robes of the others:
"However... as far as I know, this is currently the time of the White Wizard Apprentices' Exchange Meeting. So, everyone..."
He paused slightly, his unspoken meaning becoming clear.
Leo, who had reunited with Sillian and the others, was still pale, but thanks to the combined effects of the potion and witchcraft, he had managed to suppress his weakness and was at least able to stand steadily.
He stepped forward and bowed slightly:
"Lord Evans, we encountered a swarm of persistent black rats on our way to the exchange meeting, which led to our current predicament..."
The old man's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, his doubts deepening:
"I recall that your exchange meeting seemed to have quite a few outstanding Level 2 apprentices participating. Why... are only Level 3 apprentices present here?"
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze.
The apprentices' faces instantly darkened, their eyes surging with deep-seated hatred and a lingering fear.
Leo did not evade the question; his voice was low and heavy, filled with an indescribable sorrow.
"They...all sacrificed themselves."
He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Those 'black rats' we encountered... are no ordinary creatures! They're like immortal monsters; I suspect... they're the product of deep-seated witchcraft modifications!"
He succinctly recounted the ambush and the grueling breakout, finally looking earnestly at the old man:
"Lord Evans, we request permission to rest here briefly and recover some strength. Once we are feeling better, we will depart immediately and will not cause any trouble for your family. We humbly request your permission."
The old man listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously stroking the armrest of his chair.
Leo's description was indeed unbelievable, but having seen countless people, he judged from the grief and lingering fear in the eyes of these young people that what he said was true.
After a moment, a gentle smile returned to his face, and he nodded, saying:
"Of course. Who hasn't encountered some storms on the path to seeking truth? The gates of Evans Manor are always open to all those who seek knowledge. Please rest here in peace, and if you need anything, just give the servants your orders."
"Thank you for your kindness and protection!"
Leo and the others thanked him in unison, their voices filled with genuine gratitude.
After the apprentices were led away to rest by the steward, the middle-aged man who had been standing beside the old man with a worried expression, the old man's son, finally couldn't help but whisper:
"Father, this is, after all, a conflict between white wizards and black wizards... If we rashly take them in, will we get ourselves into trouble and undermine neutrality...?"
The old man glanced at him casually, his eyes showing a hint of helplessness regarding his son's intellectual disability, but his tone remained calm:
"Whether it's an exchange meeting or a hunting season, there are unspoken rules. Formal wizards won't easily get involved. We're merely providing a resting place; we're not favoring either side. And what can the dark wizards do?"
His tone was calm, yet it conveyed a powerful sense of confidence:
"As long as this old man like me is still sitting here, Evans Manor will never be turned upside down."
The middle-aged man was intimidated by the imposing power in his father's words and immediately fell silent, daring not to say another word.
The old man gazed intently at the eastern horizon outside the window, and slowly added:
"Neutrition means not taking sides or kicking someone when they're down. If a group of equally disheveled dark wizard apprentices came today, as long as they follow the rules, the gates of this manor will be open to them. As long as no formal wizard personally intervenes to disrupt the balance, this 'minor matter' won't cause any trouble."
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"Senior Leo, what do we do now?"
"Yes, those monsters are so terrifying, they're definitely not normal! We should go to our mentors and sue them!"
"That's right, those black rats violated the rules and must be severely punished!"
Leo was also having a headache listening to the noisy chatter of the apprentices around him.
Meanwhile, Sirian, standing beside her, said helplessly:
"It's no use. They are body modifiers. Even if we report it, it won't do any good. We'll just be ridiculed for nothing."
Nia, who was standing next to her, also voiced her question:
"While there are usually people with modified witch bodies at the usual exchange meetings, why are there so many this time? Don't they know that deep witch body modification will cut off their future?"
All the apprentices present felt that something was amiss.
The opponent's strength is so great that it must be due to deep body modification, something only a formal wizard can do with confidence.
But accepting deep witch body modification also means their future is cut off, so why would those people agree to it?
What exactly is hidden in this?