“I think we should talk about recruitment. I Hope Fog City will allow Hope to independently find students within its borders. For this, we are willing to pay the corresponding fees.” Professor Laungen shifted the topic at the opportune moment.
“Of course, you can. But let's not talk about the fees for now. Clock Tower and Deer Academy both use the red book as the main theme of their Lineage. For us, knowledge is more important. We want to use this month to have a good exchange with Deer Academy on the most cutting-edge research,” Bashemeilo said, taking over the conversation.
“It is our honor to be able to communicate with Clock Tower.”
Subsequently, the two had a friendly discussion about recruitment. Finally, they decided to start recruitment three days later, and Bashemeilo, on behalf of Fog City, welcomed the arrival of Three Portland.
After the conversation, Professor Laungen did not stay there much longer. After bidding farewell to Bashemeilo, he once again took the magic circle back to Three Portland.
After Professor Laungen left, Bashemeilo's gaze turned to the sneaky penguin in the corner.
The penguin noticed Bashemeilo's gaze. He nonchalantly stuffed his camera under his fluffy belly, then tugged at the bow tie on his chest. Then, the penguin reached out and pulled from the Void Realm, and a top hat and an ebony cane appeared in his hands. He elegantly bowed to Bashemeilo, and then his entire figure slowly disappeared into the Void Realm.
“What a magnificent spatial shuttle! To be able to freely traverse even in such a low-activity eve particles environment, Wandman truly possesses extraordinary techniques,” the voice of Clock Tower's Sixth Seat, Principal Colin Creevey, came from the side.
“Why are you out? Don't you usually stay in your painted world?” Bashemeilo turned to look at Colin.
“Some of my apprentices are not skilled enough. Just because of the eve particles disturbance, their painted world was solidified. I came out to loosen their frames, so they don't die in the painting,” Colin said helplessly.
“That person just now must be Albert Laungen, the Dean of Deer Academy's Non-Natural Science Academic Group. I've read his “Seventeen Summaries on Ether Superconductivity.” He's a very formidable fellow,” Colin then said, looking at Three Portland in the sky.
“He is indeed a formidable fellow,” Bashemeilo said with deep eyes.
“By the way, are we just going to let Deer Academy take away the talents from Fog City?” Colin said with a bit of heartache.
“What else? Not everyone in Clock Tower is as unconcerned with Bloodline as you are. No matter how outstanding their extraordinary talent, in the eyes of Clock Tower's Arcane Masters, they are Muggles without Bloodline, not worth wasting resources on.”
“Rather than letting them rot, it's better to let Deer Academy take them.”
Colin recalled the arrogant faces of the nobles and monarchs of Clock Tower and immediately agreed with Bashemeilo's words.
— — — — — — — —
Time passed quickly, and three days flew by. Tonight was the day for Deer Academy's recruitment.
terra calendar 1589.2.9
Red Moon Night · Foggy.
In the Observation Hall of Three Portland, a giant spherical holographic projection floated in the center of the hall. The four Deans of Deer Academy's Occult Group and other professors stood beneath the projection.
“Professor Mansour, I trouble you,” Professor Laungen said to a beautiful woman beside him.
“Hmm, I've already released all the Hope.”
“Now, we just wait.”
Three Sparrows Inn.
Xia Xiu was enjoying coffee while reading a biography of a Saint. Just as he was engrossed, the envelope placed on his table suddenly floated without wind.
Clap!
Xia Xiu closed the biography. He stood up, took his trench coat and hat from the hanger, and then took out a suitcase containing some necessary change of clothes and money.
Xia Xiu went to the window, opened the door and windows, and a cool breeze blew in from outside, making the room a bit cooler.
The envelope flew out through the window. Xia Xiu looked up at the bright red moon in the night sky. A snowy owl, accompanied by red light, flew over. Its snow-white feathers were mixed with many black spots.
It was holding Stephen's letter of recommendation in its mouth.
The snowy owl flapped its wings and came into Xia Xiu's room. Xia Xiu naturally extended his right hand, and the snowy owl landed on his arm. After landing, the snowy owl tilted its plump head and looked at the young man in front of it with golden-yellow eyes.
Xia Xiu slowly took out the expensive chocolate he had already prepared. He peeled off the chocolate's wrapper and then offered the chocolate to the snowy owl. The snowy owl, in a human-like manner, showed an expression that seemed to say, 'You're a smart kid.' It happily ate the chocolate Xia Xiu offered it.
Burp—
After eating the fifteenth piece of chocolate, the snowy owl let out a satisfied burp, stroking its slightly bloated belly with its wings.
Then, the snowy owl flew onto Xia Xiu's shoulder and patted the hat on his head with its wing, as if saying, 'I'll look out for you from now on, kid.' Xia Xiu smiled, picked up the letter of recommendation that the snowy owl had dropped on the ground, and flicked the envelope with his index finger, reminding it to get down to business.
Only then did the snowy owl remember its duty. It flew in front of Xia Xiu, then spread its wings, and the envelope flew to the center of the snowy owl's wings.
The envelope began to burn.
Sparks from the burning envelope flew around, and a bright circular magic circle appeared on the floor. The diameter of the circular magic circle slowly began to extend outward, and soon a magic circle with a diameter of over one meter was formed. Immediately after, a portal slowly began to rise from the magic circle, and the Tree of Life from Kabbalah was carved on the portal.
Xia Xiu stroked his chin, looking at the portal with interest.
This portal was just a teleportation portal to Three Portland. The reason he was interested was that the appearance of this portal was modeled after the legendary gate of truth. It seemed that the person who created this portal had seen the gate of truth. Deer Academy truly had many talented individuals.
At this moment, the snowy owl patted Xia Xiu with its wing, then pointed at the portal in front of him and squawked, meaning for him to go in quickly.
“Yes, yes, going in now.”
Xia Xiu straightened his hat, which had been knocked crooked by the snowy owl, then carried his suitcase and stepped towards the portal. The portal opened its doors.
After Xia Xiu entered, the doors quickly closed, then burst open, and the entire room immediately became silent.
Three Portland · Stan Plaza.
A continuous drizzle fell from a cloud-shrouded sky. Upon closer inspection, one would find that the raindrops themselves transformed between numerous dreamlike patterns as they fell, dyeing the sky with mesmerizing colors.
In the plaza, Xia Xiu reached out his hand, feeling the fine raindrops. He gazed as far as he could, and the vast urban clusters appeared faintly. Hundreds of holographic projections appeared at various street intersections, and rhythmic rock melodies pulsed with the light of the projections.
This was the extraordinary Enclave, a next-generation city, a paradise for artists, writers, scientists, magicians, and musicians—Three Portland.
This place was truly filled with a very strong concentration of eve particles.
Hmm?
Just as Xia Xiu was engrossed in the scenery of Three Portland, he felt something peering into his mind.
Psychic?
No, this technique is too clumsy. I can easily counter it by simply adjusting my Lineage slightly now.
As Xia Xiu thought, he began to adjust the loudness of his Lineage.
Under normal circumstances, the field loudness around the human body is 5dB (decibels). Arcane Masters who have just become Stage One maintain a value of 10dB.
Every 10 dB increase indicates a 10-fold increase in volume, meaning from 1 decibel to 20 decibels represents a 100-fold increase in volume.
Xia Xiu, relying on the red book, lowered 10dB to 1dB, and then abruptly increased the pitch.
“Ah— — — — —”
A painful wail came from the bushes in front of Xia Xiu. He walked towards the direction of the bushes.
Passing through the bushes, he saw an owl helplessly covering its ears. Beside the owl was a girl who had collapsed on the ground, screaming.
This girl had twin ponytails, wore a rustic pair of round-rimmed glasses, and a faded dress. Her long bangs obscured her face, allowing people to only guess her appearance from her perfect jawline.
Oh, and one more thing.
That was the buttons on her chest, which were constantly on the verge of collapsing from being overburdened.
“Madam, it is a great taboo to casually use psychic probing Arcane Arts on other Arcane Masters.”