A small task

They must have heard him laugh and that alerted them that someone was there.

"What are you laughing out loud for? And on your own too?" One of the goons around Robert sneered at him.

"Maybe he lost his mind after Robert taught him a lesson." Sam, Robert's right-hand piece of shit, snickered like a hyena.

The group then started to spread around the area in a half circle slowly. Esdras stayed silent but his hand grabbed the hilt of his sword.

"Oooh~ what's this? You've got a sword? The little brainless baby got himself a sword? Have you finally realized that you're trash and given up on magic?" Sam kept the insults going.

"Oh, this?" Esdras gestured to the sword timidly, not daring to look Sam in the eye as usual.

Sam, noticed that Esdras was his usual self and nodded, "yes this, do you see another sword around? You were already retarded back then, I'm afraid that you're just a vegetable now!"

Almost everyone broke into ridiculing laughter.

"That was a good one!" Another one roared.

"Shut up!" Robert who didn't join the others in laughing smacked Sam across the face. Sam fell on his butt looking shocked.

"W-what's wrong? I thought—" Sam tried to explain himself when he was smacked again.

"I said shut up! Esdras is still recovering, this is not the time for joking around."

Robert unexpectedly stood up for Esdras, and then glared at the others making them shrink back. He walked up to Esdras.

"I am sorry about them, you know how these guys can be… insensitive sometimes. Also, I overdid it in our spar and my hand slipped."

Esdras had a fearful look on his face, "it-it's fine," he stuttered, "I was angry and recklessly challenged you, it's my fault. Let's just forget about it."

"Yeah, let's put it behind us, here I got this salve for your injury. Can you let me take a look at it?" Robert, this whole time had his eyes fixated on his head.

Esdras's eyes narrowed for a moment, and he took the salve, "it's not something I want to show to other people, it's too ugly."

Saying that he tried to leave but was blocked by Robert. "No, I insist. Just a quick look to make sure you're really fine."

Robert was talking politely but Esdras could sense that if he didn't comply Robert would use force. Esdras took a quick look around and noticed that the group had closed up on him.

Esdras still held the hilt of the sword, his hand curled around the hilt, and drew the sword exploding the tension.

He pointed behind Robert with the sword, "oh, have you guys seen that crow somewhere before? I feel like I've seen it…"

Robert turned around and his face paled at the sight of the crow, "alright it's almost time for breakfast, I'll see you around, Esdras."

The others didn't understand but they still followed behind Robert sending venomous looks at him. Esdras didn't lag either.

Esdras glanced at the crow perched on the tree.

Crow of silent winds: level 2 magical creature.

Prying eyes Lv. 2, linked mind Lv.2, Wind cuter Lv.1

That crow was senior Ron's familiar, this meant that he was watching and no one wanted to catch the ire of a true mage.

Esdras sneaked a look at all of their stats since he was walking behind them and few of them were level 3 and most of them were level 2.

The only level 4 was Robert, after all not many could reach this level.

Name: Robert Castyia

Class: apprentice mage Lv. 4

Physique: 1

Agility: 1

Intelligence: 2

Spirituality: 3

Mana: 2

Water conjuration Lv.1, water manipulation Lv.1, Water bullet Lv.1, water splash Lv.1, Mist cloud Lv.1

So these were his stats, a level 4 apprentice was something else alright. However, Robert was better than the regular level 4 who barely achieve that level.

He already learned three cantrips, which can only be learned by level 4 apprentices.

Level 3 apprentices only had the basic abilities of conjuration and manipulation of their respective element, depending on which element's sigil they chose.

However Esdras thought about the previous encounter, why was Robert so insistent on seeing his head?

He knew why. But it only occurred to him too late, he should have thought of it yesterday.

Esdras could pretend that the injury was not severe and trick everyone else but he couldn't trick Robert.

That is because it was Robert who struck him and he knew very well what type of injury he gave Esdras.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be confident of Esdras's death. This knowledge made Robert take a step back and think that something wasn't right with Esdras.

But at this point it was just a hunch, he is probably doubting himself right now. Thinking that the hit was not hard enough or that his head was thicker than normal.

Esdras raced to the breakfast table of the mages and started stuffing himself, he didn't eat anything but the little food that David saved for him.

"Here take some food, you may need it later," Esdras handed David a sackcloth, inside it was some bread and jerky.

"Might need it?… what for?" David asked in confusion.

"You will know soon." Esdras did the same for himself too.

Ten minutes later there was a clap and all the apprentices stood up, put their palms on their hearts, and bowed slightly.

The three True mages and seven Vigor knights entered the tent. This tent was prepared for them because mages don't eat with commoners.

Lieutenant Donnis Mulder was one of the Vigor knights and he was the commander of the reinforcements to fort Kuzdin.

The slaves cleaned up the tables and one of the soldiers place da map on it.

"At ease apprentices, I trust you've had a good meal?" Senior Ron asked, but continued talking without waiting for a reply, "You have a small task, head out first and clear out the monsters and beasts in the forest route up ahead."