In Shimmering City, within the inner fortress, Sherman sat cross-legged on the floor of the tranquil meditation room, his eyes closed.
Invisible energy particles floated in the air, drawn into his body as if by an unseen force, disappearing without a trace.
After about half an hour, Sherman opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
Standing up, he opened the door and stepped outside, gazing at the greenery in the courtyard. A sense of daze crossed his face.
Since the day he took the test, his life had undergone drastic changes.
The dream he had fantasized about for over a decade had come true in one day. He now lived in the castle he had always longed for, enjoying the service of servants like a noble, and received a gold coin each month.
During this time, Sherman had returned home once and heard Old Roger say that after he moved into the castle, many people came to inquire about him, bringing gifts to curry favor with Old Roger.
When he mentioned this, Old Roger couldn't stop smiling, praising Sherman for his success.
Seeing Old Roger's joyful and content expression made Sherman happy as well.
However, what excited and amazed him the most was the knowledge imparted by Lord Sunan—now he should call him "teacher."
A fascinating knowledge called meditation!
After twenty-five days, Sherman successfully entered the Star Ring Meditation Method and felt energy particles for the first time.
Since then, he felt as though he had entered a whole new world.
In just two months of meditation, he had transformed from a frail little boy into a strong youth.
His once thin body, where even the ribs were visibly protruding, had visibly grown robust.
According to Lord Amy, he now possessed the physical qualities of a sword-wielding squire!
The blacksmith Carlo from the Hammer Forge in the north had often boasted in front of him about being a former squire.
Would Carlo be shocked to learn that a twelve-year-old boy like Sherman already had the strength of a squire?
Sherman suddenly found himself wanting to see that reaction.
However, that was just a thought; he didn't have the luxury of time to pursue it.
After entering the Star Ring Meditation Method, Lord Sunan officially accepted him as a student, subsequently providing him with a large stack of books to study diligently, stating that he would be tested on his learning progress every month.
If Lord Sunan was satisfied, he would receive rewards.
To be honest, the contents of those books were quite complicated and unfamiliar.
Books like "Basics of Magical Plants," "Magical Plant Cultivation," "Basics of Potion Making," "Biology," "Mutation Studies," "Principles of Spells," and "Origins of Wizards" left Sherman feeling dizzy.
Although he could read, his literacy level was only sufficient for everyday tasks, making it quite difficult for him to tackle these dense texts.
To keep up with the pace, he had to sneak off to ask Lord Amy for help, which required him to give her a half-hour massage every day.
While Sherman was lost in thought, the door down the hallway suddenly opened, and Adil stepped out.
Seeing Sherman, she smiled gently and said, "Just finished meditating?"
"Yes."
Sherman glanced at the book Adil was holding, feeling a bit nervous as today was the day of their monthly assessment.
In a little while, Lord Sunan would come to test their learning progress for the month.
He always felt a sense of anxiety during these times.
Noticing Sherman's unease, Adil softly reassured him, "Don't be nervous. You've been working hard studying; you'll be fine."
While others might not know, Adil was well aware of how diligent Sherman had been.
She and Corey would occasionally take breaks due to the tedious nature of studying, but she had never seen Sherman take a break.
Every time she saw Sherman, he was engrossed in his studies.
This level of focus and relentless effort made Adil secretly admire him.
While Sherman might not be as efficient in learning as she or Corey, he certainly kept pace with them.
"Thank you," Sherman said, grateful as he nodded to Adil.
Just then, Corey walked out from the other side of the hallway.
Spotting Adil and Sherman standing in the corridor, he paused, glancing over Sherman with a barely perceptible frown before nodding to Adil and walking toward the courtyard without saying a word.
Seeing this, Sherman couldn't help but smile wryly.
Corey had always looked down on him due to his commoner status, and since Sherman had entered the Star Ring Meditation Method two days earlier, Corey seemed even more displeased.
It was as if competitive feelings had been ignited, and every time Lord Sunan assessed their knowledge, Corey would adopt a competitive demeanor, leaving Sherman feeling both amused and exasperated.
"Don't mind him. Corey isn't a bad person; he just has a strong competitive streak," Adil whispered.
Sherman nodded in understanding.
He had encountered far worse noble brats, and compared to them, Corey was quite decent.
At least Corey didn't insult him directly as a little bastard or a commoner.
Noticing that the time was nearing, Adil and Sherman stood at the courtyard entrance, waiting for their teacher.
Before long, footsteps echoed from afar, drawing closer.
Soon, Sunan's figure appeared in sight.
"Teacher!"
Sherman, Corey, and Adil quickly bowed in greeting.
"Mm."
Sunan extended his mental perception, scanning the three of them with a subtle nod.
"It seems that all three of you have kept up with your meditation practice lately. Good."
With Sunan's praise, the three of them beamed with joy.
"Meow, Sunan is here!"
Amy suddenly appeared from somewhere and leaped onto Sunan's shoulder, the bell around her neck jingling lightly and producing a pleasant chime.
The three students calmly observed this scene.
Initially shocked by Amy's ability to teleport, they had grown accustomed to it over time.
However, there was another presence that they had yet to acclimate to.
Just as they were thinking about it, a massive figure appeared silently before them, with dark red scales and sharp claws glinting in the sunlight, radiating a chilling aura.
The primal and savage presence made Sherman and the others instinctively tense up.
By Truth, they had never seen such a terrifying beast before!
When they first laid eyes on the Hidden Dragon, they almost fell to the ground in shock.
The Hidden Dragon ignored the three kids, letting out a low hiss as it approached Sunan.
Sunan stroked the rough head of the Hidden Dragon and smiled, "Have you been outside the city again?"
Hiding Dragon: "Hiss!"
Amy: "Meow, I'm not scared to go out alone. I just brought you along because I thought you were bored staying here!"
Hiding Dragon: "Hiss!"
Amy: "What's so good about sleeping? You're not really a dragon; why do you lie around all day?"
Sunan chuckled, interrupting the back-and-forth between the cat and the lizard.
"The base outside the city is already built. I've prepared a place for you to stay there; it's more spacious, and you can move over."
Upon hearing this, the Hidden Dragon had no objections.
Amy glanced at Sherman and the others, "Meow, what about them?"
Sunan looked at the three students and said, "Once they finish their studies as I instructed, they can move into the base."
After a moment of hesitation, Amy shook her head, "Then I'll stay here for now, meow."
Sunan looked deeply at Amy and nodded without saying more.
After awakening from a millennium-long slumber, Amy had lost all her friends and companions in this world, leaving her almost alone.
Aside from Sunan and the Hidden Dragon, only Sherman, Corey, and Adil, the three new wizard apprentices, could barely be considered part of her "circle," allowing for some interaction.
Thus, in Sunan's frequent absences due to his busy schedule, Amy preferred to spend time with the three of them.
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