On this day, Randall, Ivan, and Gina all received orders to make their way to the enchantment workshop; absence was not an option. The master and his two apprentices converged early and set off for the workshop together.
“Instructor, do you know what we are being called to do?”
“What do you think, Ivan?”
“Either to repair the Ant Being barrier or to select a steward.”
Upon hearing his words, Gina became pensive, her gaze landing on Instructor Randall. She remembered that the instructor had once aspired to become a steward; now seemed like an opportunity.
“Don’t harbor any foolish hopes,” Randall said with certainty. “The Lidia family is not one to relinquish power. Besides, with my half-baked enchantment skills, even if I became a steward I wouldn’t be able to hold the position securely.”
He knew his place well; when it came to enchantment skills, even his own apprentice Ivan was superior to him, and he had long since quelled such thoughts.
The trio chatted idly as they arrived at the enchantment workshop.
More than just the three of them were invited; other Enchanters from the academy were also present, the majority from the Enchantment Group themselves, all gathering in a larger workspace.
“Hey, Ivan.”
“Not bad, becoming an official sorcerer has made you even more handsome.”
Ivan unexpectedly encountered Carmel whom he hadn’t seen for a long time. From the somewhat inflated air about him, it was evident that he had been a sorcerer for only a short period, likely influenced by the Meditation Method, which turned his hair a pale frosty blue.
“Of course, I said I would definitely become an official sorcerer.”
“When did you return to the academy?”
“A few days ago. I didn’t expect such an incident to occur at the academy, those vile ruffians are utterly despicable.”
The two conversed like old friends reuniting, exhibiting warmth but with an undercurrent of formality, unable to retrieve the innocence of their apprentice days.
After becoming sorcerers, an issue that couldn’t be ignored presented itself: their stance, and their stances were just not on the same side. Now both of them had come to realize this clearly.
Among the arrivals, Ivan also spotted Carmel’s sister Heidi, her hair also a shade of frosty blue.
The sorcerers of the Lidia family could be easily recognized by their hair which was more or less tinged with a frost blue hue, with nine individuals in total, mostly females, like Deputy Dean Teresa and steward Madeline, creating a state of female dominance.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Ant Being barrier is the safeguard upon which our Mongna Ant Land Cottage relies for survival, protecting us from wild beasts for centuries. As Enchanters, guarding the Ant Being barrier is our duty. Should there be any damage to the barrier, unrest will certainly reside within us—”
As the head of the Enchantment Group, Deputy Dean Teresa stepped forward and delivered a set of perfunctory remarks. Between the lines, she was asking everyone to contribute their efforts together to repair the Ant Being barrier.
She spoke of exerting effort without mentioning any compensation, let alone selecting a steward.
However, with Teresa wielding the moral high ground, even if the other sorcerers were not fond of her, they had no reason to voice objections.
After the announcements, they followed Teresa out of the enchantment workshop and made their way to a three-story Black Tower painted in pitch black. Geographically, the Black Tower was conveniently located right in the center of the Three Great Families’ residences.
“Teresa, I hope I’m not late.”
“Just in time.”
Chief Steward Ove Watkin from the Talent Nurturing Team walked over slowly. The Black Tower was the control core of the entire Ant Being barrier and required at least two chief stewards or a deputy dean to open it.
With the cooperation of Teresa and Ove, the heavy door of the Black Tower swung open thunderously.
Through the doorway, only a dim haze was visible, with an inexplicable oppression on one’s sightline that prevented a clear view of what was inside. Yet the sorcerers outside could sense the profound aura within, which shared the same origin with the atmosphere on the defensive barrier.
Teresa led the way inside, with others following her in single file.
Like the rest, Ivan also looked around curiously at the interior of the Black Tower.
The interior resembled a cathedral, with a view of the tower’s peak upon looking up. In the center of the tower stood a colossal half-figure of an Ant Being, the statue donning a crown and just surpassing the height of the two lower floors.
Surrounding the statue were several runes obelisks connected to the tower’s body, and the ground was covered in rune patterns emitting an unnerving aura.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I hope everyone can work together and lend me a hand.”
Under Teresa’s command, the Enchanters took their positions next to the runes obelisks, one person per obelisk.
‘She doesn’t explain anything, just tells people to follow orders and work—this is like treating people as laborers.’
Ivan grumbled inwardly. He figured out Teresa’s intentions: to harness the collective power of everyone in a forceful manner to clean the contamination off the Ant Being barrier.
It had to be said that this method was indeed feasible, although it appeared rather crude, incurring significant energy consumption and bound to create a commotion.
Regardless, they all obtained the opportunity to engage with the Ant King Barrier Array. Ivan’s eyes flickered for a moment as there were things he couldn’t bring himself to decide on the spur of the moment.
“Everyone, prepare—begin!”
At the command of Deputy Dean Teresa, the enchanters poured their power into the runes obelisk in front of them, enlivening the intricate runes lines inscribed upon it. The lines began to spread outward.
On the ground, the runes lines writhed like multicolored pythons, intertwining to form a net.
Various ghostly lights emerged from the ground, statues, columns, and the tower itself, submerging the enchanters in a sea of radiance.
The enchanters paid no mind to these distractions, for their spirits had followed the runes obelisk to the immense energy of the defensive barrier, scattering orderly across its various locations.
Their task was quite simple, to locally manipulate the protecting power of their respective domains within the barrier, either eroding the contaminating energy or driving it towards a specified area.
Mongna Ant Land Cottage was comparable to a mid-sized city, and apart from the gap in the dome, the Ant Being barrier covered every inch of the school grounds, its area unquestionably vast.
To completely clear the diffused contaminating forces, they had to scour every inch of the barrier protection; the work was exceedingly complicated.
This was why Ivan thought this method was too cumbersome.
‘The Three Great Families have always been strict and cautious with sorcerers outside their clans. Although there is a reason this time, that caution won’t easily be dropped—it’s feared they’ve laid a trap, killing two birds with one stone. One must be wary of such things.’
Ivan wanted to take this opportunity to plant a few spies within the defensive barrier and create a backdoor for himself, but the precautions of the Three Great Families against other sorcerers made him resist the temptation and abandon his plan.
‘Since I’m here already, that doesn’t mean I can’t do anything.’
After some thought, a good idea came to him. He decided that while driving out the contaminating forces, he would also study the operation of the Ant King Barrier Array and discretely repair some of the barrier’s defenses.
It just so happened that within his controlled area, there was a location he had previously observed to be sluggish. He had contemplated solutions that would not require the use of additional materials and would allow him to leave a little something behind.
Several hours passed, and much like herding fish, the contaminating forces were gathered by the enchanters at the barrier’s dome, near the gap.
Finally, under the manipulation of a few individuals, including Teresa, the contaminating forces were released through the gap. The chaotic storm of wind and thunder at the gap caused it to widen slightly, damaging the defensive barrier further.
The matter came to a close.
But inside the Black Tower, some matters were only just beginning.
“What’s going on?”
“Deputy Dean Teresa, what do you mean by this? Instead of thanking us for our help, you take the opportunity to trap us here. Don’t think you can act so rashly just because you’re from the Lidia family.”
No wonder someone cried out in anger. Just as everyone had finished clearing the contaminating forces and were feeling a bit exhausted, Teresa, accompanied by two stewards—one of whom had been dismissed—suddenly turned on them, using the power of the Black Tower to suppress everyone on the spot.
“Stay calm!”
“I have said it before, the defensive barrier is crucial to the safety of the academy, and for the safety of all, I must be extra cautious to prevent anyone from tampering with it.
Rest assured, please wait for a moment. As long as you have no ill intent, you will be free to go soon, and on behalf of the academy, I thank you for your efforts today,” Teresa explained calmly in the face of the crowd’s anger.
As soon as she finished speaking, slight changes appeared on the faces of a few individuals.
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“Dalton, Beecher, you indeed harbor ill will.” Teresa was clearly much more skilled at inspecting the defensive barrier and soon found the two individuals who had meddled.
“Nonsense, I just wanted to study the defensive barrier and find ways to repair and improve it,” retorted Dalton, who had been named, a sorcerer from the Policing Team.
“Exactly, your Lidia family hoards the maintenance rights of the defensive barrier, yet you can neither stop enemy invasions nor repair it. You only watch as the defensive array decays day by day—you are the ones neglecting the interests of many sorcerers at the academy!”
Beecher, from the Patrol Team, did not show any panic on his face when his scheme was exposed. Instead, he looked straight at the Lidia family members and vehemently accused them of inaction.
“Very well, not only do you show no remorse for your wrongdoing, but you also attempt to bite back. Who doesn’t know that the sorcerers of the Lidia family are devoted to the public good—” For the first time in many years, Teresa was insulted directly, and anger changed her complexion.
“Your words are nauseating—you’re all devoted to the public good?” Beecher interrupted her straightaway:
“Leaving aside far-fetched arguments, let me ask you one thing: Sorcerer Barton has already been dismissed as chief steward. After so many days, why do you still allow a criminal to hold the control of the barrier? Could it be that among the many sorcerers at the academy, not one is better than a criminal from the Lidia family? How absurd!”
“Seize them, take these two blustering men into custody.”
At Teresa’s command, the members of the Lidia family surged forward to apprehend Beecher and Dalton on the spot.
The very next second, the repressive force on everyone else dissipated, restoring their freedom.
However, everyone’s expressions were far from pleased. They had come to help, giving their best effort, only to be manipulated by Teresa, the Deputy Dean, apparently with the intent of finding some scapegoats.
As Sorcerer Beecher had pointed out, the Lidia family monopolizing the maintenance of the defensive barrier, which was deteriorating day by day, naturally carried the responsibility. Yet now they were using this method to distribute the blame.
This tactic was utterly despicable and quickly turned the stomachs of many present.