The Patient Wizard Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Calculation (6)

Chris counted on his fingers as he interrupted.

“Currently, it’s 33 percent. It hasn’t reached 40 percent yet. So there’s still room for about one more person.”

The group members’ expressions brightened.

Yes, there’s still one left.

Each of them thought that the one would be themselves.

Alex poured cold water on their hopes.

“Let me tell you one more statistic. Most people sense the magic within 6 months. Those who feel it after that are as few as can be counted on your fingers.”

Alex buried the good mood of the group members before meeting him deep in the basement and left the Lion Hall with a waddling gait.

They collapsed onto the sofa, drained of energy.

Faye asked.

“Is what Alex said true?”

Faye looked like she was about to cry.

At that moment, Juan entered the reception room carrying food ingredients. He paused when he saw the group members sprawled out, looking deflated.

“Hehehe.”

He went into the dining room with an unpleasant laugh.

Alice said.

“I really dislike that man.”

Smith said.

“I agree.”

Faye said.

“Me too. He’s too gloomy.”

An hour later, Juan came out to the reception room. He wiped his hands on his apron and said.

“I’ve prepared a special meal today. Enjoy it.”

The man who always grumbled was suddenly acting kindly, which made them suspicious.

Chris frowned.

“Did you mess with the food?”

“No, I put my best effort into cooking today.”

“Why did you do that?”

“You’ve been having difficult days for a while now. I got the date wrong.”

“No, that’s not true.”

Until Alex arrived, they had been in a very good mood. In terms of the overall average, today had been the best day since entering the Lion Hall.

Juan smirked as if he knew everything.

“Time really flies.”

“You’re saying strange things.”

“I was too busy to notice how much time had passed. I only realized it today.”

He even had an expression of deep emotion.

“It’s already been 6 months.”

Chris couldn’t understand what he meant by such words.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“I saw you all fooling around in the square.”

From the perspective of someone who had devoted 36 years to magic, did he resent us for having fun?

“We can play for a day or so.”

“You went down to the village.”

“So what?”

“That’s evidence you received a travel pass. Usually, they give out travel passes after 6 months. That time has come already.”

Deep wrinkles formed between Chris’s eyebrows.

“What are you talking about…?”

“Why do you think the Magic Tower gave you travel passes? You didn’t request them.”

“What are you trying to say!”

Chris’s tone was sharp.

“After 6 months, the number of people who can sense magic drops drastically. Then the Magic Tower gives out travel passes. It means you should go down to the village and find a way to make a living.”

Tony stood up abruptly.

“This bastard!”

Juan didn’t get angry despite being cursed at.

“Now you’re really becoming my junior.”

He spread his hands as if to embrace them.

“Welcome to the world of losers.”

“Shut up!”

“Hahaha.”

Juan left the Lion Hall, leaving behind a laugh tainted with madness. The atmosphere that Alex had dragged down to the basement now plunged through the earth’s crust.

While the nobles ended up just feeling displeased, Alice thought more practically. Considering her circumstances, she couldn’t afford to simply be displeased. She said.

“If we go down to the village, can we find a way to make a living?”

“Outsiders can’t enter the Magic Tower. I heard they stay in the village and trade with the Magic Tower. The scale of the trading companies is enormous.”

“We could get jobs with the trading companies.”

From a merchant’s perspective, apprentices who have lived inside might be more attractive than complete outsiders who know nothing about the Magic Tower.

Smith said,

“Is that really true? To be honest, we don’t know much about the Magic Tower.”

Chris scratched his stomach.

“But we do know someone.”

“Someone we know?”

“Wizard David. Having such a connection is better than nothing.”

“Ah, I see.”

“If not with a trading company, we could work at inns or restaurants that deal with them. It might hurt our pride, but we could also work as tower employees like Juan.”

Unlike the nobles, he, Smith, and Alice were in different positions. They weren’t in a situation where they could just go back if they failed.

Smith put his interlocked hands behind his head.

“Should I look around the village for job opportunities?”

Smith always said he would be able to sense magic. Seeing him speak so weakly shows he’s not feeling good.

“No, you’ll become a wizard.”

“Do you really think so?”

There are things that don’t work out no matter how hard you try. What’s impossible is impossible. But contrary to his thoughts, Chris encouraged him.

“I’ve always thought that if a slave were to become a wizard, it would be you.”

Smith felt better.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“To be honest, I thought so too.”

Alice said,

“That’s annoying.”

The mood lightened among those from slave backgrounds. But those from other backgrounds were still in low spirits. 

Section 4 The Losers

A sticky wind blew, and then it started to rain. Chris, who was on his way down to Stratton Village, got soaked.

If it had started raining when he entered the village, he would have run to avoid it, but now that even his underwear was completely wet, there was no need to run. Being more wet wouldn’t make a difference. Rather, he felt relaxed.

Chris waved cheerfully at the mermaid statue in the fountain and entered Brian’s Magic Store. Donna asked with a puzzled look.

“Today isn’t laundry day, why did you come down?”

Water was dripping from his head. Chris asked while wringing his hair.

“Do you have a towel?”

Donna threw him a towel. Chris answered while drying his hair with the towel.

“It will be a year in two months.”

“It’s already been that long?”

“Yes.”

“Time really flies. So?”

“I’m thinking about giving up.”

“Good thinking.”

Chris’s expression soured.

“Shouldn’t you be encouraging me, saying I’ll definitely succeed, that I’m a late bloomer, that I’ll definitely make it…?”

“Why should I?”

“So you can sell the magic helmet. Would someone who has given up spend a large sum to buy a helmet?”

Donna smiled meaningfully.

“I don’t need to sell it to you.”

“What!”

Chris’s nostrils flared.

“Don’t tell me! It’s been sold?”

“Yes, it’s been sold.”

“My god, what kind of crazy person would buy such an expensive item?”

“You wouldn’t know, being poor, but there are many rich people in the world.”

“That’s a scam.”

Donna clicked her tongue.

“You were going to buy it too, weren’t you? As soon as I tell you it’s sold, you disparage it as a scam. See that? Child, if you want to succeed, keep your heart pure.”

Chris couldn’t afford the magic helmet. Even if he saved for 36 years like Juan, he couldn’t gather 100 gold coins. So he shouldn’t feel bad that the helmet was sold, but somehow he felt wronged and frustrated as if something of his had been taken away.

“With my peers, if we pooled our money…”

Donna cut him off.

“Someone with that kind of disposable income would be among the high-ranking nobles, do you really think they would want to share a magic helmet with you?”

“Hmm.”

“For joint ownership, you’d need to pay at least 20 percent of the price, do you have that kind of money?”

He didn’t. It was far from enough. That’s why he couldn’t even bring it up to his colleagues at the Lion Hall.

“Who bought it?”

Donna shook her head.

“I can’t casually disclose a client’s secret.”

Many apprentices visit Stratton Village. Even on a dreary day like today, he had seen about ten. Among them, some apprentices must have stopped by Brian’s Magic Store and been tempted by the magic helmet that Donna introduced. Just like Chris was.

“Thanks for the towel.”

Chris politely returned the towel. He had originally planned to go to Stan’s General Store to ask for a job, but after putting on the necklace, that desire disappeared.

Let’s try our best until the end.

Somehow, he felt like something good would happen.

Chris headed toward the Lion Hall, whistling and humming a song.

*    *    *

To conclude, the lucky necklace did not bring any luck. With one month left before his first anniversary at the Lion Hall, Chris completely gave up. He raised his hands.

I don’t have the talent.

Having given up, his mind feels at ease. At ease… At ease… But tears keep coming.

Chris blew his nose and rubbed his eyes.

“It’s okay. This is enough. Enough.”