"It's been a while, dear Carmel,"
"Wayne Steele, please address me by my full name."
The two faced each other from a distance, with the other party greeting warmly, while Carmel displayed disapproval from within and without.
It occurred to Ivan that Wayne was indeed the only apprentice with a 5th Class talent in their batch, rumored to have joined the Talent Nurturing Team, which was controlled by a faction of the Dean, but the surname 'Steele' seemed to belong to the vice dean of the Apothecary Skill group.
What could be the conflict between these two from sorcerer families?
"You're breaking my heart, Carmel," Wayne said as he approached, his apprentice robe adorned with intricate patterns and exuding a faint fragrance—an indication of his meticulous nature.
"I don't mind," Carmel replied coldly.
"Well, aren't you going to introduce your friend?" Wayne switched topics, unfazed.