Wizards begin by accessing the Inspiration panel.

Chapter 238 Joining the School

"As for why I inexplicably entered that world?"

"It seems to be the Nightmare Stone?"

Richard shook his head, not entirely certain. He then turned around, opened the drawer, and took out the Nightmare Stone, which remained dull and lifeless.

"It seems about the same as before!"

After thinking it over, Richard decided to stick to his original plan and teleport back to the surface today.

Because most of the first and second level spell models of necromancers are extremely rare, even in the Grey Dwarf Brotherhood's collection, Richard had no choice but to return to the school.

However, before leaving, Richard managed to exchange for the extremely rare level one necromancy spell model, "Aura of Death," from Allehan.

Half a day later, Richard and Stephena appeared in the hidden cave on the surface.

Most of the cave remained unchanged, but on the soft sand near the water, Richard and Stephanie discovered a nest of white, unidentified creature eggs.

I glanced at the teleportation array, which was only seven or eight meters away.

After a moment's thought, Richard set up another concealing magic array around the teleportation array.

"Master, if we return to the academy, should we conceal our strength?" Stephania asked from the side.

"Stephena, you don't need to go back to the academy yet. Go straight back to the capital and go home. While you're at it, help me investigate something." Richard knew that Stephena really wanted to go back to the Knight family after she advanced to the level of a formal wizard.

In comparison, Stephanie's eagerness to go to the academy was far less than his own.

"Master, then..." Stephania said reluctantly.

"Don't worry, contact me as soon as you've investigated. The sooner the better."

Half an hour later, Richard, who had returned from underground, arrived at the gate of the Ignis School.

Looking at the rows of dark gray buildings in front of him, Richard couldn't help but recall the time he spent studying at the Academy.

Although his time with the school was always short, it is undeniable that his mentor, Seras, and the school opened the door to his wizarding career.

Moreover, with the improvement of his strength, Richard is no longer afraid of the gargoyles, magical creations that he used to look up to and were completely incomparable to, and can even defeat them.

Richard is now able to determine that his opponent's strength is at the high level of the first tier.

After a moment's thought, Richard did not go in directly, but instead used a simple communication spell to contact his mentor, Seras.

A moment later, a familiar figure in black robes appeared at the entrance of the school; it was Richard's mentor, Serales.

Seres quickly spotted Richard standing in a secluded spot, and the moment she saw him, she noticed the change in Richard.

After staring blankly for several seconds, he finally came to his senses and blurted out:

"Richard, you've actually become a full-fledged wizard?! This is unbelievable!"

Still dressed in a black robe, Celeste was visibly excited upon seeing Richard and gave him a big hug.

"Yes, mentor, I was fortunate enough to be promoted."

Looking at the familiar face, Richard could clearly sense that his mentor, Seras, was also at the high level of the first tier, similar to his own undisguised strength.

To avoid being too sensational, Richard had previously consumed a bottle of fluctuation suppression potion, a non-combat potion purely used to conceal his own mental energy fluctuations, the effect of which was to greatly reduce mental energy fluctuations.

After Richard drank it, his mental energy fluctuations changed from the high level of level one to the low level of level one. As long as he did not use witchcraft that exceeded the low level of level one, he would not reveal his true strength. The effect lasted for a long time, and one bottle of the potion could last for nearly a month.

"Richard, did you pass through?" Ceres pondered for a moment, then hesitated before asking, but immediately waved his hand and said, "Let's go back to the school first."

Richard immediately understood that his mentor, Serales, wanted to ask him how he had been promoted, but was afraid of discouraging him, so he didn't ask.

"Mentor, I am using the third method, meditation," Richard said with a smile.

Richard didn't want to hide this fact, after all, wandering wizards had often accidentally discovered advanced meditation techniques in ancient ruins, so it wasn't surprising that he had obtained an "incomplete" advanced meditation technique at the wizard level.

"What?" Seras turned around in surprise, gripping Richard's arm tightly. "Really? You didn't use the Limit-Breaking Water?"

This was completely unexpected for Serales.

He had always thought that his exceptionally talented student had entered the formal wizard level through the second method, relying on the Limit-Breaking Water and a certain Level 1 Wizarding Model. He never imagined that Richard would actually break through through the third method, naturally using advanced meditation techniques.

This means that Richard still has a broad prospect for advancement.

"Really, Instructor Seras, it's a pity that the advanced meditation technique at the wizard level that I obtained is also incomplete. It can only allow me to cultivate up to the level of a first-level top wizard. If I want to go any higher, I'm afraid..." Richard explained with a smile.

Seras smiled and waved his hand. "None of that matters. You're just starting out as a formal wizard. Who knows how long it will take you to reach the level of a top-tier first-level wizard—fifty years, or a hundred years? So, Richard, you don't need to start worrying about this now."

"For example, I'm only at the high level of level one right now. Maybe when you reach the mid level of level one, new opportunities will come your way."

The two chatted as they entered the academy.

As the wizard apprentices came and went, they all made way for the two black-robed wizard masters as they approached, bowing slightly in greeting. Their eyes, in particular, were filled with curiosity and surprise as they looked at Richard.

Seemingly surprised that Richard looked so young, yet had already reached the level of a formal wizard.

This was Richard's first visit to his mentor Seras's residence, a detached two-story villa located behind the academy's dormitory area.

The hall is simply decorated, a stark contrast to the style of Fana's villa, symbolizing the different personalities and aspirations of the villa's owners.

"Richard, what are you planning to do after coming back this time?" After gesturing for Richard to make himself comfortable, Serales thought for a moment and then asked.

"Mentor, after I'm promoted to a full wizard, I want to join the Ignis School. However, I don't want to sign the kind of contract that requires me to serve the school for a hundred years. I wonder if the school has any more lenient contracts?" Richard paused, then continued.

"My idea is to complete tasks for the school in order to gain the right to exchange for some basic witchcraft models. I wonder if my mentor could give me some advice on this."

After listening to Richard's account, Serales remained silent in thought.

After a long silence, Seras spoke, "Richard, the school has what you call a contract similar to a guest instructor's, where you complete tasks at the level of a formal wizard to earn the opportunity to exchange for certain wizarding models. But..."

"Most of these witchcraft models are basic models, not improved versions. Secondly, some core potion formulas and resources cannot be exchanged. Have you considered this?"

Richard was taken aback by this. The basic witchcraft models were not a big problem, but the fact that some core resources could not be exchanged was quite troublesome.

"Mentor, what's your advice?" Richard thought for a moment and asked in return.

"My suggestion is that you consider joining a school directly. Since you will be a certified wizard on your own, the contract will not be as strict. Although there are mandatory teaching and overseas assignments, it is generally more lenient."

With Serales' explanation, Richard quickly understood that under his contract, even if he failed to complete his teaching and overseas assignments on time, the only punishment would be not receiving the quota he was entitled to.

The clauses with stringent constraints mainly concern things like not harming the fundamental interests of the school of thought, to which Richard would have no objection.

After chatting for a while, Serales decided to take Richard to complete the formalities immediately.

Serales led Richard to a room in the teaching area.

"Lilith, this is my student Richard. He has been promoted to a full-fledged wizard and plans to join the school. Please help him with the necessary procedures."

Lilith looked at Seras with a puzzled expression and said, "Huh! Seras, I don't recall having a third-level wizard apprentice named Richard among your students, right? And didn't you sign any training agreements with any of the promising candidates who could become full wizards?"

Seras smiled wryly, "Lilith, to be honest, this student has only been at the academy for less than two years. I never expected him to advance so unexpectedly after this trip. He was only registered as a second-level wizard apprentice before!"

"What!" Lilith's beautiful eyes widened. She looked at Serales' expression and realized that he didn't seem to be joking. Moreover, she knew that Serales rarely joked about important matters.

Only then did Lilith take a closer look at Richard.

So young!

"Richard Lee, right?"

"Please fill out this form," Lilith said, taking a form from the drawer and handing it to Richard.

Richard glanced at it briefly; it contained information about his background, major, and so on. There was also a section for guarantors; having a guarantor would save a lot of unnecessary trouble.

The purpose of specializing in a particular area is to arrange the courses reasonably, and secondly, to make it easier for new apprentices to choose a mentor based on the different mentors' areas of expertise.

After Richard quickly finished filling it out, he handed it to Lilith.

"You're skilled in puppetry? That's quite rare; there are very few wizards in our school who are proficient in puppetry."

"By the way, a newly recruited wizard needs the approval of a second-level archmage to join a school. Seras, since you are your student, you will be in charge of taking Richard there. Archmage Graf is at the school today."

Lilith smiled.

"Okay, thank you, Lilith. We'll head over now."

-

"Knock knock knock!" Seras led Richard to the tallest building in the teaching area, stopped in the second to last room, and knocked on the door rather formally.

"Come in!" a deep voice rang out.

"Richard, don't be nervous." Seemingly worried that her prized student was nervous, Celeste whispered a reminder to Richard.

Richard smiled slightly and nodded.

He felt his mentor's care once again. Although this was not the first time Richard had met a second-level archmage, he was even very close to Hawkins, the vice president of the Grey Dwarf Brotherhood.

Once inside, Richard discovered that the room of the great wizard Graf was quite large.

Moreover, it has a unique style.

Richard was immediately taken aback when he saw the skeletons of about a dozen different creatures displayed as decorations on the surrounding area and walls.

At this moment, a dignified-looking old man with a gray beard was behind a mahogany desk, looking at Celes and Richard with a smile.

"Graf the Great Wizard, this is my student Richard, who has just been promoted to a full wizard." Seras bowed slightly and patted Richard beside him.

"Celes, you've given me a huge surprise. I never expected you to train a formal wizard so quickly."

Hearing the amiable tone of the great wizard Graf, Richard felt relieved.

Clearly, even the great wizard Graf couldn't discern his true strength after he took the fluctuation suppression potion.

"Welcome to the Ignis School, young man!"

"Greetings, Grand Wizard Graf!" Richard said, sounding slightly reserved.

"Relax, young man. Your mentor and I are old friends, and you are about to become a full member of the Ignis School. We will work towards the same goal."

"It is an honor to join the Ignis School, and I am deeply grateful to my mentor, Seras, and the school that nurtured me," Richard said, bowing again.

"Well then, young man, how about we sign the contract now?"

"sure."

Graf nodded, took out a parchment scroll with gold trim, and handed it to Richard.

"Your Excellency Archmage Graf, may I first review the details of the contract?"

"Haha, cautious young man, of course you can."

Richard opened the scroll and began reading quickly.

As expected, as her mentor Seras had said, the Ignis School, which she joined after becoming a formal wizard, had very few mandatory provisions.

Most importantly, one must not do anything that harms the interests of the Ignis School. As for the mandatory annual teaching and overseas assignments, even if one violates them, the punishment is merely the cancellation of the annual material quota.

Richard was naturally very satisfied with this.

"No problem at all, Your Excellency Archmage Graf, I am very satisfied with the contract."

"Very well, shall we begin signing the contract now?"

"certainly."

With a short incantation from the great wizard Graf, the gold-edged parchment scroll suddenly emitted a dazzling light, and a virtual scale appeared before Richard's eyes.

"Is this the scales of justice?" Richard wondered to himself.

"Under the witness of the great scales of justice," Master Graf proclaimed in Hett language.

"I, Richard Clavel, am willing to join the Ignis School."

(End of this chapter)