Abyss Demon of All Realms (TL)

As he followed the Leading Teacher ahead, Charles whispered to Saya beside him, "Those flowers earlier were so beautiful!"

Saya nodded in agreement. "Indeed, it's my first time seeing such stunning flowers too. They seem to possess a mesmerizing charm that instantly caught my attention. I really wanted to pick a couple..."

Though he still remembered the Leading Teacher's warning, it didn't stop him from indulging in the fantasy.

Conversations like this were common among the many new students. As visual creatures by nature, humans were inevitably drawn to the breathtaking, endless sea of flowers.

At the front of the group, the Leading Teacher merely curled his lips in disdain without saying a word.

If you weren't part of the academy, you'd have died the moment you approached that place...

Having lived in this academy for decades, he didn't know much about the guardian's background—not even their true form.

Apart from knowing that the guardian was likely on the same level as the Dean, he was completely in the dark about everything else.

However, he was well aware of the eerie nature of that flower field. To ordinary people, it was nothing short of a death trap—inhaling even a whiff of its scent could be fatal.

The Dean, a peak fifth-level Wizard, had personally warned that Wizards below the third level should avoid lingering there.

Prolonged exposure to the gases emitted by those flowers could cause even Wizards—far more resilient than ordinary people—to develop peculiar illnesses, potentially leaving them with severe, lasting afflictions.

From then on, in his mind, that flower field became one of the deadliest places in the academy.

Unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn't even pass by it, terrified that taking a few extra breaths might saddle him with a lifelong condition.

That said, as far as he knew, aside from those foolhardy enough to barge into the flower field, most academy members who accidentally wandered in wouldn't suffer too severe consequences from the flowers.

Still, the caution ingrained in him as a Wizard made him want to steer clear of the place.

In his eyes, these reckless new students were still too naive. Only after their teachers gave them a harsh wake-up call would they realize this world wasn't so kind.

Exploitation was every Wizard's attitude toward their apprentices.

In the world of Wizards, knowledge was the most valuable commodity.

Moreover, due to the influence of various experiments, most Wizards suffered from some degree of mental instability—their thought processes deviated from the norm, making them all a bit twisted.

Under such circumstances, learning anything useful from them was no simple feat.

Even though the academy bore most of the burden, the remaining portion was enough to make these apprentices feel the pain of exploitation.

"Slow and steady" applied to the mentors—the apprentices were the ones being drained.

Endure, endure to the bitter end.

He, too, had survived his apprenticeship that way...

Walking along the path steeped in history, Saya quietly observed the surroundings.

To him, this was where he would spend a long time in the foreseeable future.

According to the information he had gathered, it would take an apprentice at least ten years, or even up to a hundred years, to become a full-fledged Wizard. During this time, most of their days would be spent within the academy.

At this moment, after some observation, he felt quite satisfied.

In his eyes, even the capital of the most powerful mortal kingdom paled in comparison to the opulence here. The carvings on any random wall, he estimated, must have been crafted over a thousand years ago.

Truly befitting the abode of Wizards!

Moreover, unlike the quiet and desolate place he had imagined, there were quite a few passersby here. Though not overcrowded, pedestrians could be seen everywhere.

Some wore the attire of academy students and instructors, while others were dressed as servants. It seemed he could recruit help to take care of his daily needs.

As the surrounding passersby continuously cast scrutinizing glances at their group, Saya, though very young, chose to stand tall and confident. Beside him, Charles hesitated for a moment before mimicking Saya's posture. Though his physique and demeanor hadn't quite caught up yet, giving him a somewhat comical, "monkey in a crown" appearance, he had taken his first step toward becoming someone like Saya.

Admiration.

To him, Saya—handsome, elegant, and exuding confidence at every moment—was the very image of his ideal self.

Though it felt somewhat unattainable, he still wanted to get closer to him.

No longer content to drift aimlessly as he had in the past.

Upon reaching their destination, the Leading Teacher stopped in front of a grand building, turned to them, and said, "This is the placement center for new students. Here, it's not just you choosing your mentors—your mentors are also choosing you. Those who catch their eye will be selected early, while those who don't will be assigned uniformly based on talent and aptitude."

"So put your best foot forward. Unlike those who are uniformly assigned, being chosen early means you've already made a good impression and will receive more attention from your mentor."

After offering this advice, Derek sighed silently as he watched the nervous expressions on the newcomers' faces.

He didn't know why he had bothered to advise these strangers. Perhaps it was because he still felt resentful about the hardships he had endured in his own youth. If only he had been chosen by a good mentor back then, he believed he could have saved at least twenty years of his life...

"That kid looks promising."

"I think so too."

"Whatever, I don't care. I'll just teach according to the academy's rules. It's not my problem how he turns out."

"I want that blue-haired kid."

"Over my dead body! A prime candidate like that would be wasted on your experiments."

"How can you call it a waste? It's Wizard business! You never know until you try!"

"Let me see if any little cuties meet my standards..."

"What are you all—"

Looking at the various eerie creatures and bizarre objects floating above, constantly emitting either hoarse or mocking voices, Saya maintained a confident expression on the surface but couldn't help swallowing nervously in secret. The scene before him was completely different from what he had imagined.

His heart began to pound involuntarily.

'Are these people really selecting students?'

'I feel more like they're picking free lab specimens or cuts of pork…'

Watching the nervous freshmen, Derek turned and walked out. His once-a-month task was now complete.

Next month, he would travel to another country to welcome new students.

The Silent Heart governed over a hundred nations, and each month he visited a different one—just enough to ensure every country was visited once per year. As a result, his job was either about rushing to the next destination or already being on the way. Rest was a rare luxury.