Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
After the interview, Lowi and other interviewees left the conference room with weird looks. The knowledge in the atomic field and the tricks of control magic circles that they prepared in advance proved to be of absolutely no use. Mr. Evans’ questions were unimaginably strange. Did they need to confess their life plan? Wasn’t it all about advancing from level one to level two, from level two to level three, and so on?
However, such a simple answer was obviously not going to satisfy Mr. Evans. Therefore, every interviewee added certain parts that they believed to be helpful. For example, Alfalia talked about her goals in her knowledge system, and Blake introduced his plan to return from the Solar Islands to Allyn. Many people also put the Atom Institution in their life plan.
The moment he recalled how he introduced himself early on, and that he somehow added finding his love to his life plan, Lowi felt that his face was burning and dared not look at his fellows, fearing that he would be mocked. For him, it was a most shameful interview.
The other people were more or less the same. Just now, many interviewees told their poor pasts in the spur of the moment, hoping that it would earn sympathy, but now that the interview was over, they only regretted that they could not take off their clothes and cover their heads.
Rock said with a rather sunny smile, “Wait ten minutes here. Lucien will make a decision soon.”
Such an usual interview was rather fun for him, especially when the interviewees expressed themselves unskillfully.
Hearing Rock’s words, Lowi was no longer embarrassed. As Rock entered the conference room and shut the gate, their hearts beat faster and faster and louder.
Dum. Dum. Dum. Lowi felt that he had to say something, or he would pass out from anxiety. He opened his mouth and asked, “Erica, who do you think Mr. Evans will choose?”
Lowi was scared by himself after he spoke. He never thought that his voice could be that dry and hoarse.
Erica said in a low voice, her nose flapping, “Everything is superfluous right now. We have shown what we have.”
Not far away, while Blake was nervous, as a man who advanced into a formal sorcerer on the harsh islands, he remained calm on the surface. He said to Alfalia in a rigid smile, “I think you have a good chance. Your performance was good.’
Alfalia replied with a shallow smile, “Stop talking like that. You’ll make me look forward to it more. The more hopeful one is, the more disappointed they tend to be.”
She spoke casually, but she clenched her hands at some point.
In the suffocating atmosphere, the gate was opened again. They raised their heads and looked at Mr. Evans both expectantly and anxiously.
Lucien smiled, “You are all very remarkable and full of potential. However, the Atom Institution only needs ten assistants right now. Therefore, I have to make a rather tough pick to select those who better suit our needs. The first candidate, Mr. Balterley.”
The middle-aged man, who was Lowi’s teacher in school, waved his fists in excitement, but as a second-circle sorcerer, he managed to retain his manners.
“The second candidate, Alfalia.” Lucien warm voice found its way into Alfalia’s ears.
Not realizing what happened, she raised her head and looked at Lucien in bewilderment, only to see that Lucien nodded at her with a smile.
It was not until then that she realized she had been picked by the Atom Institution. Her blue eyes were suddenly filled with water.
Such a success had been earned fair and square, without bribery of money and materials, without the trading her body and feelings, but solely with her magic and arcana abilities!
For Alfalia, who had to leave Allyn for certain reasons, it was a hard-earned affirmation. She covered her face with her hands, not showing anybody her brief weakness.
Hearing Mr. Evans’ announcement and the exclamations around, Lowi became more and more excited. He held his breath subconsciously. Mr. Blake passed, Erica passed, and two apprentices he knew earlier also passed, but why wasn’t he chosen?
“The tenth candidate, Lowi.”
Lowi felt that stars were floating before his eyes, and he almost tripped over himself. Intense joy and excitement burst out like a volcano, leaving his head swooning and his eyes wet.
“Don’t pass out. If you are unwell, I’ll consider a refund.” Lucien talked with humor that nobody could get.
But in Lowi’s eyes, it was as pleasant as an elvish song. He hurried to say, “No, no, Mr. Evans. I’m in perfect health!”
Everything in his eyes became lovely all of a sudden.
After asking Jerome to settle the ten assistants, Lucien left for the Affair Committee, intending to check up on Thompson’s interrogation.
“They have confessed. Two are spies of the South Church, one is associated with the North Church, and one was allured by an intelligence worker of the Holy Heilz Empire. They were all promised that they would be heavily rewarded if they sneak into the Atom Institution, and they will be paid for every piece of intelligence they provide about the institution or yourself later.” Thompson handed the files to Lucien and asked confusedly, “Why does the Holy Heilz Empire care about you? Isn’t the Church the leader in dealing with sorcerers?”
Lucien brushed his eyebrow. He sabotaged Rudolf II’s plan in the alternate dimension, and he was obviously connected to the Silver Moon. How could the guy not pay attention to him? But of course, the top secrets of the Highest Council was not for Thompson to know.
Skimming through the files, Lucien’s eyes were finally frozen. The image of the night watcher who hired Issac was so familiar.
“Minsk… Juliana…” Lucien recited the two names.
Lucien knew that something was wrong with Amelton when Rhine was projected into the joker’s dream. He also learnt the identities and looks of the few night watchers that hung around with the joker.
That wasn’t supposed to be a problem. Lucien had met Lend before, and it was perfectly normal for them to be relocated together with Amelton. However, according to Issac, the two night watchers had been meeting him in turns since three years ago, hoping that he could reach Lucien. That is to say, Sard had been preparing for this three years before he became the Grand Cardinal of the Holm parish.
“No wonder he kept the things between Natasha and me a secret. But it was such a long plan. Was he so confident that he could be deployed here?” Lucien was more or less confused. Then he spoke to Thompson, “Tail the two night watchers but do not get rid of them yet.”
“Also, ask the magi to protect John’s family in secret. Don’t let them know, and don’t burst into conflicts with the guards that Natasha deploys.”
The two night watchers hated his guts. Lucien was worried that they might go out of control at some point.
“Okay.” Thompson was more and more polite to Lucien. Not just his positional change thanks to ‘new alchemy’, the improvement of his magic capabilities alone had already foreshadowed the next legendary sorcerer.
……
On July 30, Queen Nekso Palace, having been through an assassination sponsored by the conservatives, reached the royal magic tower of Holm and declared that she would have dinner and celebrate her birthday with the seniors of the royal family here, and that she would not return to the Nekso Palace until the next day.
Considering that Duke James and Duke Russell must be furious after the assassination, the conservatives did not object to the plan.
As night fell, Natasha, who was celebrating her birthday with members of the royal family in the magic tower, left under the excuse that she was going to meet Hathaway.
Lifting her dress, she rushed to Lucien’s office like a charging knight.
She was about to knock on the door, but the door opened on its own. In the meantime, the pleasant sounds of a piano echoed inside, rippling out beautifully and refreshingly. The whole room was immediately enshrouded in a dreamy and romantic atmosphere.
Natasha closed the door quietly and looked at Lucien whose fingers were bouncing on the piano. He was wearing the black formal attire that he usually wore in Aalto, and his face was gentle and devoted. His eyes that looked back at her now and then were so deep that it could almost attract souls.
Lucien, on the other hand, suddenly felt amazed. Natasha was not wearing a deep-color dress today, as she usually would, or a knight suit and armor. Instead, she was in a white long dress with simple laces, as well as gloves and silk stockings of the same color. Her tied hair and her broad-edged hat made her look like a bride that had just barged in. There was additional pureness and freshness in her violent glamor.
The room was arranged in a similar way to last time. The only exception was the flute, oboe, cello, brass, violin and other musical instruments around the piano, as if the orchestra had been there but was gone all of a sudden, leaving their equipment behind.
Looking at Lucien in the eyes and listening to the delicate music, Natasha found her previous agitation all gone. She approached Lucien with a smile and stopped next to the ground table.
She knew that it was ‘A Poem For Natasha’, the piano verse that Lucien prepared last time. However, they were so passionate after figuring out what was in each other’s hearts last time that they completely forgot about it. When they talked about it later, Lucien postponed it to her birthday.
The notes filled the room like flowing water, rising up and down gently and comforting her mind. The romantic tunes and rhythms echoed in their eyes.
After Lucien was done playing, Natasha clapped her hands and was about to hug her knight.
However, Lucien shook his head with a smile, hinting that there was another episode.
“This is the birthday gift for you.”
Lucien picked up the flute and played a rhythm that was different from anything in the past and sounded like a bird song.
When the flute song was just ending, the oboe flew to him on its own and presented the scenery of spring.
Natasha looked at Lucien in confusion. That was a music style she had never heard before. Was it his new creation?
Lucien got the violin in his hands at some point. Staring at Natasha, he played a poetic melody.
As the gentle sound from the violin entered Natasha’s ears, her mind seemed to have been hit by something. The music was so beautiful and romantic, and yet it seemed to contain vague sorrow that invited empathy.
It was different from any music that Natasha learnt in the past, but it was so touching and astoundingly beautiful that Lucien seemed to be telling the love in his heart.
The best music had no differences in styles. Looking at Lucien who was playing the violin gracefully, Natasha was captivated by the rhythm.
