Nearly 100 meters tall, the tower towered deep in the forest, and the silver-green runes spread all the way up the white outer wall, and finally sank into the dark red circular vault. Seven slightly lower towers surround it like stars and moons, circulating in different colors, symbolizing the various schools of thought that were divided when this science was 'founded'.

Today, the margins between the schools of thought have long been blurred, but some traditions have remained.

This is the main tower of the "Arcane Academy". It is located on the border between the Orren Empire and the Breeze Forest, just a few dozen lits from Falling Star City. Seven hundred years ago, a group of Kamal people, who called themselves 'Seekers', walked into the forest, learned the basics of arcane magic from the population of Elna, and established their first stronghold here.

Since then, the Federation has believed that the secret law has the same origin and that knowledge has no boundaries. Regardless of age, race, or origin, we are like brothers and sisters as long as we pursue the truth together. Unfortunately, the resources are not endless, so the vast majority of those who can be recognized by them have already stepped into the door of arcane arts—of course, there are also some wizard apprentices who work hard enough and are extremely talented. ”

It was as if Tutor Compton had told it in a history of magic class a long time ago. There was no shortage of supporters of the head of the Collens House in the Federation, and many of those who were younger, even following the legends of the old wizards, had embarked on this path - many of them became the first mentors of the Academy.

"As a nominally 'beginner' college, all we can teach you is the key to the higher ladders. I hope to meet some of you in the Federation after graduation. The quest for arcane magic never ends, and I will move forward with you, or learn new techniques and knowledge from you. ”

That used to be one of the wishes of the two – or at least Yuffie. Now, a year later, things have come full circle, and they are back here.

Unlike the secondary towers, which belong to the various schools, the hall of the main tower of the Federation is always open. Anyone can set foot in the tour, and if they can pay enough – knowledge or money – they can ask for the services of wizards. However, due to the long-standing mystery of the wizards, and the rumors that have arisen from it, few people are willing to set foot in this hidden land, except for well-educated scholars and nobles, as well as some Elna people.

Lynn took her friend's hand and walked along the wide cobblestone pavement. The road is lined with grey and brown cattail grass, and four or five orange and green date trees. Those were the main ingredients for making sleeping potions, she thought, and maybe some wizards were too focused on research and had to rely on them to get a good night's sleep.

The pure white stone door slid into one side, and the two held hands as they passed through a curtain that seemed to be a ripple of water. The interior of the main tower was much more empty than it appeared from the outside, and the spacious reception hall was large enough to accommodate hundreds of people, but not even ten people were in sight. The tower has no ceiling, and when you look up, the vertical upward 'tunnel' seems to stretch all the way to the sky, and hundreds of doors are embedded in the walls of this circular 'tunnel', most of which are closed.

The wizards of the Federation are few social creatures—for them, there is never enough time for study and research.

Lynn blinked, retracting her gaze. Behind the reception desk not far away, a young man in a pale red robe was reading with his head down. A quill hovered above the flattened notebook, recording every word he whispered.

The girl approached, but felt that the other party's appearance was somewhat familiar. So she sorted out her memories and looked for the other person's name, "Kyle?" ”

The young man looked up, his eyes looking a little tired. But his eyes widened immediately, and for a moment he seemed speechless. The quill pulls a straight line out of the notebook, pauses for two seconds, and then begins to scribble in circles.

"You, you...... Uh-ah-ah-damn it, my notes! He took a breath of cold air, hurriedly grabbed the quill that was being destroyed, and slapped it on the reception desk before he looked up again, "But...... Lynn and Yuffie, you're not ......."

"Dead?" Lin tilted her head and deliberately lowered her voice, "That's right...... So we're undead now, are we ready to pay our debts? ”

Kyle Stan Adams wasn't intimidated. Instead, he stared at the two of them for several seconds, making sure that everything in front of him was not a hallucination, then puffed out his cheeks and exhaled as if relieved.

He jumped up, flipped over the reception desk, and gave Lin a hard hug.

"Welcome back – welcome back anyway." He shook his head and smiled contentedly, "Vivien will die happily - you know, after hearing about your death, she didn't pay attention to me for half a month!" Even now, I don't dare talk to her about you. ”

Almost immediately, a small, but energetic girl with sun-skinned skin appeared in front of Lynn's eyes. It was a friend who originally lived in the same room with her, and the relationship between the two has always been very good for several years at the academy, "She's with you?" ”

"Also...... Not counting yet, right? The young man scratched his hair, his cheeks flushed slightly, "She should be in the Tower of Prophecy, I'll call her over now!" No, wait......" he seemed to realize something, "I'm sorry...... What are you doing here? ”

"Do you need to ask?" Lin took a small step back, brushed the broken hair from her forehead, and straightened her face, "The first graduate of the academy, Lynn Grace Campbell, applied to join the Arcane Academic Federation and be recognized as a high-level wizard. ”

The young man stared blankly at her, as if he had not understood her words at all. Lynn turned her head and saw only a hint of surprise in her friend's eyes, and all that was left was a smile of approval.

"You've decided?"

"Of course, that's fun." Lin raised her eyebrows slightly, "In this way, that Duke of Moore or something, he won't be able to talk to us anymore, right?" ”

"That sounds like Hughes said." Her friend teased—but that wasn't a bad thing, Lynn thought. Then she clapped her hands, "I also apply for the qualification of a high-level wizard. You know me, Kyle. ”

Kyle Adams tugged at his short fiery red hair, as if he had heard something more unbelievable than their 'resurrection'.

"You're kidding me, aren't you? Right? ”

"How do you speak?" Lynn flattened her mouth in dissatisfaction, pushed the young man's shoulders, and pressed him to sit on the original chair, "I'll forget it, do you think Yuffie would make such a joke?" ”

The pink girl approached, lowered her head slightly, and calmly looked at her former classmate, "We have something that must be done. Please, Kyle. ”

"I said you ...... Alas, forget it. ”

Kyle sighed as if to give up on himself. He grabbed the wilted quill, pulled open the drawer, and pulled out two thick pieces of paper with a pale red background, full of words, and a faint magical aura.

"Well, Lynn Grace Campbell...... And Yuffie Nora Steinmitz. He wrote the names of the two on the edge of the paper, and then let the quill float into the air, "To apply directly for high-level wizard qualification, you must pass three exams at once." If you fail, you will not be able to apply again within half a year. Have you thought of the subjects? ”

"Of course. Potions, Transfiguration, and Battle Wizards. What do you think? ”

"I choose principles of magic, spell literature, and battle wizards." Yufie's voice was not high, but it was calm and full of confidence, "Don't worry, we won't disgrace the head of the house." ”

The young man wrote down what the two had said, then took out two circular seals and tapped them on the lower right corner of the paper. He rolled them up, sealed them, and handed them into their hands along with the seals. Lin gently flicked the seal, feeling that there was an extremely delicate magic attached to it.

"What is this?" She asked.

"Your wizard's insignia - not yet, take it first. By the time the exam is over, they'll be 'been' what they should be. He shook his head and looked at Lynn with some concern, "I don't know what your plans are, but ...... Don't do anything too risky. ”

"Hey, it's just an exam, what do you think we can do?"

"I don't know." The young man clenched his fists and looked up at her, but there was a smile on his face that could not be hidden, "You have always been very good in the academy. It looks like it is still too. He pursed his lips and said seriously, "Come on, good luck to you." ”

Lynn looked at the young wizard's distant back, turned her face, and exchanged a confident smile with her friend.

"Do you need to talk about that?"

They waited a little more on the side of the hall, chatting about the academy days and speculations about the current situation of those they knew. Kyle is right when he says that she and Yuffie were also famous during their college days - in contrast, she had a better relationship with her classmates, while Yuffie was closer to her mentors.

"Shall we go back if we have time?" She suddenly said, "Go see Head Eagle, Mr. Leonard, Mrs. Stewart, and—"

"And me." A calm and serious male voice spoke.

Lynn blinked and looked up. Her biology and transfiguration teacher, Lind Hoffman, stood right in front of her, clad in the Federation's crimson wizarding robes, with a light smile on her thin face and pale gray eyes full of brilliance, as if in every class.

"Welcome back, Lynn." He whispered, raising the corners of his mouth, "I know you're not going to die like that." Of course, I also believe in Vanka, and his fellows—after all, it's the "brigade" that once performed miracles. ”

Sure enough, he knew who the head of the house was, Lynn thought, but she was curious about something else. "Mr. Neufman, you're no longer at the Academy?"

"Vanka asked me to come back, and someone else would take my place. There are many equally important things to be done for us to promote the occult arts. Linde replied softly, "For example, your exam." ”

It's not a good thing, and it's certainly not bad either—Mentor Novman's exams are always rigorous, but Lynn really wants the other person to see her grow, "What about Yuffie?" ”

"There's another person in charge of her, and I'll help her choose the examiner." Linde turned and stepped forward, "Now follow me, my student." ”

She did so, and as the other walked around the wall of the reception desk into the middle of an even more empty hall. Linde raised his hand and pressed his chest, and the dark blue iolite slab slowly rose to the ground, supporting the two of them silently into the air.

"Speaking of which, what about the others?" She asked simply.

"Most of them are still the same." Lind replied, "Bella, Nelan and Tristian stayed as assistant coaches, and it will probably be a few years before they can take charge on their own." The rest came here, and some returned to the church and violet, and their feet grew on them anyway. The wizard glanced at him with a satisfied expression, "At least I haven't heard of it, and there are plans to abandon this path." ”

"The academy has built a little monument to Caitlyn, ah, of course, with your and Yuffie's names on it." He paused for a moment and chuckled, "If you have time, you can go and have a look." ”

Lin pursed her lower lip, a little sad for a moment, but recovered in the blink of an eye, "Of course." ”

The wizard closed his mouth, his expression more satisfied. The iolite disc rises smoothly around the tower, eventually stopping in front of a turquoise carved wooden door. Lind knocked on the door, which was scattered into countless verdant branches, wriggling and waving his hand at the two of them, and then quickly retracted behind the doorframe.

"Start with a subject you're good at." The red-robed wizard walked into the room and waved his hand casually, causing all the tables and chairs in the room to bounce against the wall. Then the smile on his face faded and he reverted to the serious—or somewhat stern mentor he was.

"If you apply for the mid-level wizard exam, with the results of the academy period, I can directly give you an excellent." He pursed his thin lips and looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze, "But it's not that simple for the Great Wizard. What are you capable of? ”

"There are a lot of them." She replied, "What do you want to see?" ”

"Good." Lind snorted. "I've heard that you can become a dragon?"

Lynn blinked.

"Who told you that, Mentor Neufman?"

"I guess." Linde narrowed his eyes, "Vanka told me that the King of the Golden Dragon has given you some rewards. And I believe that you will not ask for anything that has nothing to do with the occult arts. ”

"But alas, you guessed wrong." Lynn shook her head and put her hands on her chest. The golden lines weaved into wings behind her, and then slowly vanished, "Look closely at me now, Mentor Hoffman. ”

The red-robed wizard lowered his eyes and looked at her thoughtfully. After a moment, his expression was tinged with consternation, but it was immediately concealed.

"You...... Turning yourself into a human being? ”

"That's right, I prefer the way my mother gives me." She closed her pupils, and in the blink of an eye, she recovered the body of the young dragon, stayed for a few seconds, and quickly returned to the form of a blonde girl, "Is this enough?" ”

"Technically, it's very clever." Linde grimaced, "But it's still far from practical—"

"So what?"

The girl slashed through her fingertips, letting a drop of blood drip from it. It turned from crimson to soft gold, dissolved into smoke in mid-air, and then condensed inward, forming the form of a male witch in a red robe.

"Linde Neufmann." The wizard bowed slightly, and in an identical voice, he looked at the same 'self', "Long time no see, don't come to harm?" ”

The two Linds looked at each other for a long time, and then the real one raised his hand and clapped softly.

"You've passed. I'll ask you to learn this spell when I have time, Lynn. ”

The other Linde dissipated again into smoke. The remaining two left the room and stepped onto the dark blue slate again. It circled the entire atrium and rested beside a dark stone door.

Linde took a step forward, and the stone door quickly rippled, and a cat-like face rose from it, opened its mouth and yawned.

"Question mark." It muttered, "What does it taste like to mix the gold-dissolving potion with the flowering potion?" ”

The wizard looked back at her. Lynn pondered for a moment.

"Spicy." She replied, "The smell of the explosion must be spicy." There may also be a salty taste, which is the smell of blood. ”

"Tick." The face licked his lips, "Of course, there is also the bitter, failed taste." Potions are dangerous subjects, little girl. Negligence and unthought failure is just pure failure. ”

The face sank back into the door, and the stone door slid open to one side.

"I borrowed this lab from Beryl, and you can use all the materials and equipment in it." "As an exam in potions, you need to make a potion that brings happiness. He held out his hand and gestured to come in, "I'm waiting for your answer." ”

Lynn walked into the room, the dark door closed again, and she was alone in the large, semicircular lab. The air was filled with the familiar smell of potion ingredients mixed with various solvents. She saw the lockers filled with reagents and specimens, and the bookshelves lined with Potions books; Then remember the recipes that were taught in each class or that I had made.

However, none of them fit.

Many precious potions—such as fairy potions, wishing potions, or philosopher's stones—were met or not, and the long time it took to refine them was a death sentence. Dream Elixir ...... Even the likes of Lost Soul Powder can bring short-term 'happiness', but Lynn promises that Linde will never accept a 'drug' as an answer.

If it is an intermediate wizard's assessment, a potion of courage or a potion of joy is a good enough result. You want to be called a 'great wizard'...... She had to be able to create something that would amaze Linde and recognise her as a 'fellow traveller' and not just a student.

The question was – to her, Lynn thought to herself, how can she be called happy?

She wants everything she knows to be safe, whether it's the things she likes or the people she cares about. But there is so much uncertainty in the world right now, and no one ...... Or any potion that can ensure a good future. Not to mention, in the world behind that "mirror", she had witnessed with her own eyes what this continent would look like after its destruction.

She also understands that as the daughter of Clovis and Alicia, Yuffie is under pressure from both sides. Because of this, she decided to become a high-level wizard so that she could better help the other party. But even with that title, the dilemma they face — and those troublesome enemies — won't be diminished by half a point.

However, at the moment, she didn't feel the slightest hardship.

The girl raised her head slightly, recalling the experience of the way to the present, and the mood of every moment. She remembered that final assessment, and she was full of expectations to show the results, but she only waited for the black-robed 'messenger' and his cruel declaration. She couldn't remember the specific thoughts at the time, but she didn't seem to care about any price, and she also wanted to keep her friend safe-

She then wakes up from her bed and learns that Yuffie has become the 'dead' and that she herself is seriously injured. She tried her best to appear calm, but she couldn't erase the intense uneasiness in her heart. She feared that she would die like this, that their journey would end before it had even begun; Or they become a drag on each other, and they can no longer move forward together.

So when Hylanthia told her that there was another option, she hardly had to hesitate. Now that I think about it, for her, that was the moment when she could feel the most happiness -

In the abyss of darkness, the moment when the light shines again.

That's the answer she wants. Lynn exhaled softly, took out a few pieces of dried four-leaf clover, and closed them in the palm of her hand.

"Good luck to me, Head of Colens, Sister Highland Sea, Little Hughes, and ...... Yuffie. ”

She took out a crucible, threw the blade of grass in her hand, added a small half pot of distilled water, and set the pot on the magic stove. Colorless magical flames slowly heated the cauldron, the liquid gurgling and bubbling inside. The emerald color of the four-leaf clover gradually spreads, dissolving in the still-clear water.

It's a symbolic ritual. When it comes to arcane magic, mind is synonymous with magic - even if all the actions and steps are exactly the same, the caster's 'thoughts' will affect the final product. If the refiner of a love potion is in love, or if the maker of the dark water is full of resentment, it can lead to unexpected results.

The girl recalls the good things about her journey, and as she removes the various bottles and cans from the shelves, they line them up in two rows on the table.

"Hmm...... It's not good if the effect is too strong, not to mention that this is the first time, so it's more important not to explode, right? ”

She muttered to herself and ordered a few jars, scooped about half a spoonful in turn, threw them into the crucible, and stirred gently with a glass rod.

"Gemstone vines and gold leaves – symbols of wealth; Air petals and crystal grass – representing the sky and magic; Amber powder – means eternal and legendary; and the five-colored soil – as a blend between populations. ”

The liquid bubbled lightly a few times and turned a clear golden yellow.

"Then add a little honey and milk, the nutrients for the growth of all things; Caffeine liquid, clear mind; A little cinnamon, huh...... Need to relax once in a while? ”

The liquid in the cauldron became a little cloudy, and the edges were covered with milky white foam, giving off an enticing fragrance.

"Two magic crystals to channel the magical energy of harmony; A small spoonful of dragon scale powder to act as a catalyst. ”

Colorless and transparent, ice-cube-like crystals dissolve silently. The liquid inside the crucible seemed to thicken, rippling as the stirring rod rotated. She spread her magic, sensing the state of the reagent in the cauldron until the moment when it was just right.

"A little bit of blood at the end." The girl smiled and whispered to herself, "Don't forget how you felt at any time, Rin." ”

With a slight crackling sound, milky white smoke enveloped the entire cauldron and quickly dispersed. The golden liquid glowed softly, and just staring at it, she felt a strange sense of reassurance, as if it were a part of herself that was all too familiar.

Lynn carefully filled the liquid, poured the residue from the crucible into the recycling bin, and cleaned the pot. She knocked on the dark door and watched Linde appear on the other side.

"It's a little bit faster than I thought." The red-robed wizard walked into the room and cautiously examined her work, "This is ...... What? ”

"You can taste it." Lin handed over a small bottle and looked at the other party expectantly, "I'm not sure if it works the same for everyone, but it shouldn't hurt!" ”

Even if it is just drunk, the pure blood of the golden dragon is almost poisonous to humans. But the potions she concocted borrowed only a bit of 'concept' and used edible ingredients, so they were naturally harmless - and probably tasted good?

The wizard shrugged, uncorked the bottle, and drank the golden liquid in one gulp. Lynn saw the other smack her lips, as if she was savoring something, and then suddenly pursed her lips and turned her back to her.

Linde...... Mentor? ”

Linde Neufmann turned around and tilted his head slightly. But with the dragon's sharp vision, Lin had already seen that the red-robed wizard's face had two tears that had not yet dried.

"What do you want to call it?" The other party asked softly.

"The initial tinder." Lynn replied, "It doesn't make happiness, but it does make you find it." ”

The wizard was silent for a moment, as if looking at her so earnestly for the first time.

"I see you growing. Follow me. ”

They stepped onto the disc for the third time and docked in front of the arched bronze door near the top floor. The brass door automatically opened inward, revealing two cloud-covered passageways, one black and one white, where it was impossible to see where they led.

"The Federation's spell drill ground." Lind explained briefly, "You go in from the left. ”

She did as she was told, walking down the not-so-long white hallway. When the fog lifted, she saw a rotunda nearly 100 meters wide, flat and empty. The ground beneath her feet seemed to be a magical alloy, strong and slightly elastic—she remembered seeing it in a room in the Tower of Albein. The dome is dozens of meters high, and the whole body exudes a silvery white soft light, which is not an ordinary material.

A ray of light fell from the other side of the hall, forming the form of Linde Neufmann in an instant.

"According to the rules of the federation, you only need five minutes without losing to pass this exam." The red-robed wizard had a calm face, and his fingertips pulled the magic around him, condensing one fulcrum after another, "Now I am just a projection, you don't have to worry about accidental injury." And I, after seeing your previous performance, of course I will not show mercy. ”

"I see, Mentor Linde." Lin tensed her body slightly and replied seriously.

"Then let's get started."

Suddenly a huge round dial appeared in the dome, and the long hand began to tick forward. The wizard waved his arm, and more than a dozen golden discs like waves of water unfurled from around him, and from them poured out swarms and even overwhelming tiny creatures, flapping their wings towards her.

Lin leaped backwards, spread her wings, and swung her head to spew out a fan-shaped golden flame. The flames and the worms went by mistake, but they didn't shoot down even one, as if they were in completely different worlds.

It's a spirit creature—

Unlike ghosts trapped between the physical and spiritual realms, they can obviously sink into the spiritual realm entirely, or return to reality in the blink of an eye. In other words, neither the armor nor her dragon scales could withstand the attack—and the damage that spirits can inflict is always more troublesome than physical blows.

The blonde girl frowned, and in mid-air she transformed into a tiny blue-backed and white-bellied swift, flying at full speed along the edge of the hall. The swarm was thrown away by her in the blink of an eye, and the figure of the red-robed wizard was close in front of her.

She saw that the other party didn't cast a powerful protective spell, but just happened to complete another summon-

The rift tore through the walls of space, radiating crimson light and heat. Dazzling meteors flew down from it, spreading their wings with a light cry, and raining down on the sky. It turned its gaze to her, and several walls of flame rose in an instant, blocking her path.

Inhabitant of the fire elemental realm, Phoenix.

There is no doubt that this firebird is even more afraid of her dragon flames. She's not afraid of the wall of fire, the question is that there's probably something hidden behind the wall, and the phoenix's claws and beak aren't ornaments in addition to the flames.

Lin is confident of gaining an advantage in close quarters, but it will take plenty of time to get rid of her opponent. She heard a muffled chant not far away, and the magic that gathered with it, so powerful that it made her hair stand on end—

It's really ruthless, Lin thought helplessly.

"So...... Mentor, do you think a dragon can become a dragon? ”

As if talking to herself, Lynn uncorked the vial in her hand and drank the soft, sweet, shimmering golden liquid in one gulp. The potion she had just made.

The light flooded her vision for a moment. The pure gold dragon bowed its head slightly, and its molten golden pupils stared at her, stern and gentle; Lynn tilted her head, straightened her arms, and grappled with the dragon's claws—

Illusion and reality fused in a moment, and now she became Araksha, the king of the golden dragon.

Lynn raised her head, stretched her wings, and with a single flap swept up a storm and blew out the wall of fire. The phoenix roared and flew into the sky, and the insects chased after her, but they did not dare to approach her body at all. She kicked the ground hard, leaping in an arc and landing accurately in front of the red-robed wizard.

Linde looked up at her with difficulty, his eyes revealing deep disbelief, "You're not...... Really ......"

"That's right." Lynn said happily.

As the words fell, the dragon's body disintegrated and turned into dazzling dust. The blonde girl stepped out of it, and the huge magic power that remained was like armor, exuding the same power as before. The red-robed wizard raised his hand, as if trying to block it.

Another trap, Lynn thought. Linde probably has a spell hidden in his hand - Ghoul Touch, Dance, or Malicious Transfiguration? But Yuffie had already used similar tactics, and she had learned how to deal with them.

The frontal 'she' threw a straight punch and collided with the wizard's arm, exploding several sparks of magical power. The real one approached under the cover of the light, silently recited a spell to break the protection, and kicked Linde in the waist.

The witch spurted out a mouthful of blood and flew out like a stone, slamming into the silver-white metal wall with a loud thud. He struggled to raise his head, looked at the girl who had chased after him again in the blink of an eye, and smiled helplessly.

"You won."

The red-robed wizard's body quickly dissipated. The firebird chirped and returned along the rift from which it came; The swarm also sank back into the spirit realm and was never seen again. The disc above her head faded away—Lynn glanced up, less than half a minute had passed. She straightened up, patted her chest, and walked through the white mist again.

The real Linde Neufmann is waiting for her on the other side. This time, the wizard's gaze was no longer just approval, but recognition and respect.

"Give me your badge, Lynn."

The girl did as she was told. The wizard picked up her hand, placed the sigil in his palm, and clasped his right hand. Lynn felt as if something warm had soaked the emblem and melted into her body without causing any discomfort or uneasiness.

"Regardless of origin, truth always has the same origin. We have sought all our lives, so that we are all blood relatives. Lind stared into her eyes, "Lynn Grace Campbell, daughter of Viscount Annaville Campbell and graduate of Eagle College, would you like to walk with us?" ”

"Do you need to talk about that?" She replied.

Strings of silver light gently wrapped around the clasped hands, and then flashed a bright red. The warmth spreads and turns into a slight burn. Lin withdrew her hand and saw that the seal had disappeared, and a dark red, tower-like pattern had been printed on her palm. Several red ribbons surrounded it, slowly alternating between light and dark, in line with her breathing.

"It's proof of your identity and the Federation's first gift." Linde stretched out the back of her hand, on which was the same mark as hers, "It's the magic of living, it's the secret art that grows, and it can help you do a lot of things." I can tell you the basic usage of it, but it's more up to you to dig it yourself. ”

The girl nodded, clenched her hand into a fist, and turned her head to look at the bottom of the tower, "Shall we go back?" ”

Linde glanced at her, as if she was in a good mood, and gently raised the corners of her mouth.

"Let's go."

The iolite disc slowly fell into its original position, and Lynn walked quickly around the partition, and at first glance saw Yuffie sitting in a soft chair next to the reception desk, throwing a reassuring smile at her. Another female wizard with short white hair and some old age looked up at the sound and glared behind her angrily.

Kyle and Vivien cast their eyes from behind the reception desk. Both of them looked excited, and Kyle gave them several thumbs up before waving his hand vigorously. She replied with the same motion.

"Huh." Linde stopped and looked at the old witch, "You've lost too, haven't you?" ”

The red-robed female wizard scoffed, "I suspect you did it on purpose, Lin. ”

"Don't doubt it. So how? ”

"There is nothing to find fault with in the first two doors, as for the combat assessment...... Let me fight the law wizard, why don't you come yourself? The female wizard grimaced, "It's still at this level—I haven't been able to use a spell properly, from beginning to end." ”

She was silent for a moment, then exhaled slowly, "That 'madman' taught two good students. ”

Lynn walked over to Yuffie, took her friend's hand, and looked back to see a smile spread from the corner of Linde's mouth.

"More than two." He said, gesturing to the young couple looking at the reception desk, "Kyle is a good wizard, Vivien is too, and there are many more you haven't seen." Linde shook his head slightly, "Beryl, the traditional apprenticeship is indeed 'convenient'...... But for talented young people, I'm afraid it's really slow. ”

"Then let him educate those geniuses, as for the rest, there is no shortage of apprentices on this continent." Beryl replied indifferently, "It takes time and energy to change, and I don't have much of either. ”

She sighed and slowly turned her head to look at Yufie, "That's why we need to ...... them Use it for the most valuable things. Will you follow me, son? ”

Yuffie shook her head.

"Thank you, Ms. Beryl." She whispered, as if with some regret, "Time is precious, no matter who it is. I still have some things that I have to do, so, I'm sorry. ”

The old witch frowned, looking rather dissatisfied. Linde walked over and stroked the other's shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'll explain it to her."

"I don't need you to explain, I know who she is." Beryl slapped Linde's hand away, snorted coldly, and stared at Yuffie seriously, "Tell me, in your heart, are you the princess of the Oren Empire, or the 'family' of the Federation?" ”

The pink girl gently brushed her long hair and met the old witch's gaze.

"I'm a student of Vanka Corens." "Perhaps, too, will be his successor," she said. ”

"Vanka...... Hum. That old man didn't die so easily, and as for you, it's too early to catch up with him. Beryl raised her hand, hammered her lower back, and turned her gaze to Lynn, "What about you, little girl?" ”

Lynn looked at Linde and her former classmates not far away, and held Yuffie's hand tighter, feeling a soft heartbeat.

"I'll be with her. No matter what happens. ”