Wizard: I am a goblin

Chapter 227 Belldandy's Tears

Three months before the Séance of the Gods.

The towering emerald spire, shrouded in a pale blue magical field, appeared and disappeared intermittently. Beneath the spire, within the magnificent and splendid campus of the magic academy, various magical lights occasionally flashed, as students from different academies practiced witchcraft.

A grey lark soared through the air, captivated by the ever-changing runes on the wall. It traced a smooth arc in the air before crashing headlong into the pale blue force field, where it hissed and was instantly incinerated into a charred mess.

Belldandy the witch (Belle is her nickname), with her head down and carrying a thick book, hurried through the corridor.

Two witch apprentices who were resting nearby glanced at the passing girl. Although they were just apprentices, their clothes were much more sophisticated than Belle's, with the collar of their wizard robes adorned with the emblems representing their sorcerer families.

One of the apprentices covered his mouth with a book and deliberately spoke in a voice that others could hear: "Oh dear, some people have gone to Professor Imington's room again. You know, out of all these students, why does the dumbest one get the professor's special attention? Why is that?"

"Look, it's only been a few months, and that guy who couldn't even pass the Deep Well Ritual is already almost at the second ring. He's going for special instruction," she said. "You're just jealous. You wouldn't even get a chance to go."

Another apprentice said cryptically.

Belle listened to these barbed words, hesitated for a moment, pulled her patched witch's hat down a little lower, and then quickened her pace.

The apprentice who had started the mockery saw that the man was about to walk away, so he deliberately raised his voice and said relentlessly, "Ogmar's beard, slow down and watch where you're going. Don't try to get to the Emerald Spire and end up crashing into the Pink Flesh Tower instead."

"Ugh, that's disgusting. Get down here," the witch apprentice said disdainfully.

"If you're not afraid of what others will say, then don't do it! Country folks are shameless and have no sense of morality. Am I disgusted, or is she disgusted?"

The two sarcastic men were stunned. Belle suddenly turned around and stood blankly in front of the two apprentices.

Seeing Belle's flushed face and heaving chest, the two girls were terrified. Although the witch before them came from a poor background and had no powerful connections, she was a genuine first-level wizard, far more powerful than the two apprentices who had failed their trials.

"You—you shouldn't speak like that! This is slander, this is—defamation! And what's wrong with being from the countryside? I entered the academy through layers of recommendations and selections from the local magic officers, which was much more difficult than your family recommendations—"

"Our place—oh no, I—"

Belle was so excited that she spoke faster and faster, and her native Imperial dialect suddenly came out. Realizing her slip of the tongue, the girl shut her mouth immediately, looking embarrassed, as if she had done something wrong. The momentum she had just built up instantly dissipated.

The two female apprentices burst out laughing, their fear vanishing. The one with the foul mouth opened her mouth to taunt, "What are we doing back there? Haha ...

Suddenly, the man clutched his stomach and burst into laughter, his expression extremely exaggerated. Belle didn't know where to hide and was about to cry, feeling wronged.

However, the woman's laughter soon turned strange. Her laughter turned into maniacal laughter, and she rolled on the ground clutching her stomach, barely able to breathe, her body convulsing.

"Hey—what's wrong with you?"

The man's companion asked worriedly.

The laughing witch apprentice laughed like a donkey, gasping for breath, her face turning as red as a purple eggplant. Within ten seconds, she began foaming at the mouth and fainted.

Her companion looked on in horror at the bewildered Belle. The witch's apprentice's legs buckled, and she collapsed to her knees, scrambling away like a drowned rat.

Belle took a few seconds to react before quickly bending down and patting the unconscious girl's face. The apprentice was completely knocked unconscious and didn't respond to any of the pats.

"You're going to be late, Belldandy. Hurry up!"

A familiar voice suddenly echoed in Belle's mind. It was Professor Eminent. She looked up instantly and saw a hideous long-tailed monkey staring at her motionless with its terrifyingly large eyes from a nearby stone pillar.

That was Professor Imint's magical pet, "Prophet." Although it was just a magical pet and had no consciousness of its own, Belle felt a chill run down her spine every time it looked at her with those disproportionately large eyes that were too big for its small head.

"Yes, Professor, I'm coming! But what about her—"

Belle looked at the unconscious apprentice who was foaming at the mouth and asked cautiously.

The magical pet didn't send a message; it simply tilted its head strangely by 120 degrees.

Belle hesitated for a second, wanting to turn around and leave, but then she turned back, squatted down, and turned the girl's head to the side so that she wouldn't choke on her own saliva.

"asshole----"

Belle muttered a curse under her breath, then quickly picked up the book, ignoring the dust on her knees, and hurried toward the entrance to the Emerald Spire.

"Cough—cough cough cough—vomit—"

The girl choked painfully, the hard object in her throat making her very uncomfortable, but she couldn't spit it out.

Swallow it all, don't leave a single bit behind.

"Ugh————"

"Almost there—Ogmar's beard! Well done, good boy."

As Imint watched Belle swallow the entire ether crystal, he wasn't satisfied. He had the witch open her mouth and pressed down on the girl's tongue with a cold steel fork to examine her throat. Only after confirming that the ether crystal had been completely swallowed did the professor show a satisfied smile.

Belle felt an uncontrollable heat in her chest. She grabbed her clothes and fanned herself back and forth, feeling restless and anxious. Her face was flushed and she was sweating profusely.

"Professor—it's so hot—it's uncomfortable."

"Hold on, Belldandy. Didn't you go through the same thing last time you were promoted? It'll be the same this time."

Although Imint was comforting the girl, his eyes never looked at her; instead, he focused on the notes in his hands.

Belle couldn't help but kneel on the ground, curling herself into a ball, as if that would lessen the pain.

But it didn't work.

A second felt like eternity; the girl was being burned in an endless inferno, feeling every cell in her body being roasted countless times—

I feel so bad————

"This is a necessary sacrifice on the path of a wizard. Belldandy, this is the price of pursuing truth."

Belle heard Imint's emotionless words and tried to convince herself that the professor was right, but the physical pain made it impossible for her to concentrate.

Every nerve in my body is screaming.

This brutal method of raising the ring pushed the witch's body to its limit, and she was almost unconscious. Only when she was about to give up would Imint cast a spell to activate her with a strong electric current, and then continue this painful cycle.

"Done. Now, cool it down quickly, or your brain will be fried."

As Imint spoke, Belle felt a strange force lift her shoulders, making her feel as if she were made of paper, weightless, and being manipulated at will. She was lifted straight up from the center of the ritual circle and thrown into the ice pool beside her.

Cold! Painful!

The biting cold of the icy water instantly snapped Belle back to reality. The extreme temperature difference caused her body to cramp instantly. She struggled to stand up, but an invisible force pressed her head down, submerging her in the icy water.

"Cough! Cough!"

"Hold on. Your body is betraying your will; you cannot let it become your master, do not become a slave to your senses."

.

It's so cold! I'm suffocating!

Ice water seeped into Belle's organs and lungs, and frost cut into her body like razor blades.

The girl was nearly drowning; the lingering warmth from the etheric surge was still burning her internal organs, while the icy frost of the water seeped into her skin through the pores.

Ice and Fire.

I can't take it anymore, Mom! I don't want to be a wizard anymore!

But no one could hear the girl's desperate screams.

After an unknown amount of time, Imint finally used magic to pull the dying girl out of the ice pool.

The pool water was no longer cold; it even had a hint of warmth. White smoke rose from the girl's body, and a new magical power flowed through her exhausted, petite frame.

"Well done, Belldandy, you're now a second-circle wizard. Congratulations."

"Mom—Second Ring Road—"

The girl murmured in a daze.

Imint let out a soft breath, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Take a rest. You'll be setting off tomorrow. I'll grant you permission to use the teleportation array. You can teleport directly to Silverwater City and then head towards Giant's Hill."

"—Silverwater City, Giant's Anus?"

"Once we reach the shrine, use this scroll. It contains the necessary steps and materials for the ritual. Remember, follow my instructions exactly as I say, without deviating even a single step. Do you understand?"

Imint's tone was stern and left no room for argument. Belle regained some consciousness at this moment, raised her head from the pool, looked at the scroll Imint had placed on the edge of the pool, and nodded silently.

"Very good, I knew you wouldn't let me down."

A hint of emotion finally appeared on Imint's flawless, handsome face—perhaps relief, perhaps pity, but whatever it was, it was the same condescending attitude.

No one knows exactly how old this wizard is, but if you meet him for the first time, he would not appear to be more than thirty years old.

The man walked to the edge of the pool. Instead of using magic, he cupped Belle's face in his hands, gave her a warm smile, rolled up his palm, waved it in front of Belle, and then opened it, revealing an exquisite cupcake with colorful frosting sprinkled on the chocolate cake.

"You did a great job, child, this is your reward."

Belle stared blankly at the cake, then reached out to grab it, but her hands were too weak, and the cake slipped into the water. The girl stared blankly at the cake disintegrating in the water, making no response.

Imint conjured up another cake, placed it on the edge of the pool, and turned to leave, but Beethoven got up and grabbed his hand.

"Professor, if I complete this trial, I'll definitely be able to graduate, right?"

Imint paused for a moment, a flicker of unease crossing his eyes, then quickly smiled and said, "Of course, I'll arrange for you to return to your hometown and become a local magician. The position there has been vacant for a while, and I've specially reserved it for you. Then you can reunite with your family."

"That's great!"

Belle lowered her eyes, as if she was about to cry, but her mouth was smiling.

Imint comforted the girl for a couple of minutes, then secretly pulled his hand away from hers and left the room.

The smile on Imint's face vanished the instant he left the room.

He rushed to the bathroom and used his magical powers to clean the areas on his hands where he had touched the girl more than ten times. Then he used goat milk soap to scrub, rinse, and dry the area for five minutes until his skin turned red before he stopped.

Meanwhile, Belle climbed out of the pool, soaking wet, and stood atop the Emerald Spire. She picked up the new cupcake, walked weakly to the window, and looked at the distant mountains and her homeland, which she couldn't see behind them.

The girl took a bite of the cake.

"————Oh, it smells so good."

Then tears started falling uncontrollably.

"Hey! Why are you crying?!"

Geb's voice pulled Belle back from her thoughts.

The goblin stared at the girl in front of him as if she were an idiot.

"What exactly do you need for that ceremony? You haven't forgotten, have you, you silly woman?"

"I haven't forgotten!" Belle retorted, her face flushed, and then pulled out the scroll that Imint had given her. Geb reacted quickly and immediately grabbed the girl's hand.

"Not here!" he telegraphed, giving the girl a wink and glancing at the giant.

Belle immediately realized what was happening, and while the giant was muttering to himself, the two slipped away to a corner on the other side of the cave. Under Geb's cover, Belle opened the scroll and secretly recited the incantation.

"Te ipsum revela, secretum meum carissimum————"

The scroll emitted a brief flash of light and then turned into dust with a "poof".

And then that was it.

That's it?

Big eyes, small eyes, big eyes?

As the two were staring at each other in bewilderment, a pair of strange, large eyes suddenly popped out from Belle's shoulder.

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