pertwk Chapter 13 Treasures and Greed
Chapter 13 Treasures and Greed
"Jona!"
Hearing the girl's call, Kurt, who was guessing with a group of apprentices when Hick would come out, also responded.
"Is this your sister? She's pretty! Just a little small-chested."
Dila, who looked like a skinny little monkey, commented as she watched the waving girl.
"If you can't speak properly, then shut your mouth, or I'd like to teach you a lesson."
Kurt was clearly displeased to hear Dila criticizing his sister.
"I'm sorry, Kurt, I didn't mean to."
Upon hearing Kurt's words, Dila immediately backed down; he didn't want to be punished for such a trivial matter.
Just as Kurt and his group were heading this way from a distance.
The testing continued, and a somber atmosphere enveloped the room like a thick fog.
Second class, first class, and then another third class...
Each faint glimmer of light from the stone pillar struck the hearts of the new apprentices like a hammer blow, and each flat, emotionless pronouncement from the veteran apprentice bent their backs a little more. The flame of hope flickered uncertainly before the cold reality.
Finally, it was Clara's turn.
His innate arrogance remained unwavering, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible disdain as he swept his gaze across the stone pillar, as if it were nothing more than a pointless charade.
He walked forward with ease, his movements without the slightest hesitation, his slender fingers casually pressing into the groove at the top.
Om-!
The stone pillar's evaluation was displayed, and the old apprentice, looking at the results, said: "Elemental Affinity: Level 3, Fire Attribute. Mental Strength: Level 3. Overall Rating: Level 3."
Klar's expression remained unchanged as he listened to the old apprentice's words, as if he had known all along.
Instead, the apprentices were whispering among themselves.
"He walked with his head held high the whole way; I thought he was really something."
"Exactly, I don't know what he's so arrogant about."
"What's wrong with Jonara and us forming a mutual support group? He's the one making sarcastic remarks. What kind of person is he?"
Mocking, disdainful, and gloating gazes were like needles piercing Krall.
After finishing the test, Krall seemed oblivious to the jeers and stares from her companions who had come with her. Instead, she gave them a disdainful look.
Jona also saw the smile. She frowned, and her doubts only deepened instead of disappearing.
How could someone with only third-rate qualifications have such a confident and superior gaze?
This seems to have some connection to what she knows about the "secret" of Clara.
Ignoring all the sounds and gazes, Clara walked straight to the corner of the room, leaned against the cold stone wall, crossed her arms, closed her eyes to rest, as if all the noise around her had nothing to do with her.
That composure and sense of detachment made the previous mockery seem particularly ridiculous.
"elder brother!"
Jona's voice broke the awkward and tense atmosphere as she quickly approached Kurt and the others who had finally squeezed to the doorway.
Kurt patted his sister on the shoulder, his sharp gaze sweeping over the new apprentices in the room, each with their own distinct expression. His gaze lingered for a moment on Clara, who was resting with her eyes closed, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Dila shrank back, not daring to say anything more.
"How is it, Jona?" Kurt asked, his voice steady.
"I'm a fourth-tier Wind elementalist!"
Jona suppressed her doubts and smiled slightly, but then lowered her voice, "Although that Klar is only third-class, I think there's something wrong with me."
"Oh?" Kurt was also somewhat surprised, his gaze turning back to the figure in the corner.
"Did you make any discoveries along the way?"
Clearly, Kurt was also curious about what his sister had said.
Before Jona could say anything, they heard Belon's voice coming from the hall.
"The testing is done, right? Now follow me, I'll assign you rooms!"
Seeing Peron approaching, Kurt greeted him.
"Senior Belon, is everything going smoothly?"
Peron clearly recognized Kurt and said with a smile, "We didn't encounter any danger on the way; it went fairly smoothly."
"This Jona is my sister, so I won't trouble you with her room, Senior Beron. I'll arrange it myself."
"Okay, no problem. Please give my regards to your boss, Hick!"
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Perón led the newcomers to arrange their rooms.
Meanwhile, Kurt and the others took Jona in another direction.
After leading Jona to a secluded private room and waving away Dila and her accompanying apprentices, Kurt closed the door, his expression turning serious.
"Now tell me, what's so strange about that guy named Clara?"
At this moment, Jona had long since lost the sweet and lively demeanor she displayed among the apprentices, and her expression appeared exceptionally cold.
She recounted in detail to Kurt everything she had seen and heard on her journey, especially the strange things about Clara and her own observations, and concluded with a confident addition:
"Brother, I'm sure there's something wrong with that ring on his hand! It's very likely a witchcraft artifact, or some other extraordinary object."
Upon hearing the words "witchcraft tools," a barely concealed greed flashed in Kurt's eyes, like a hound that had caught the scent of blood.
Jona's next words made his heart tighten even more:
"Furthermore, I feel that Senior Peron... he seems to have sensed something as well. We must act immediately, otherwise, that thing might fall into Peron's hands!"
"Peron knows too?"
The greed in Kurt's eyes was instantly replaced by solemnity, and the strength of a third-level apprentice pressed down like a boulder.
But he was unwilling to give up the easy prize that was already in his grasp.
"I'm just wondering why Belon didn't make a move on the way?" Jona asked, frowning.
"Hmph," Kurt sneered.
"You've had a smooth journey, so what excuse could he possibly have for making a move? On the other hand, in this wizard's tower... one or two apprentices disappeared without a trace, without causing the slightest ripple."
His tone was calm, yet it revealed the cruel unspoken rules within the tower.
"Then what do we do? Are we just going to stand by and watch Belon take the stuff away?" Jona's face was full of resentment.
Kurt's brow was furrowed, clearly indicating that he was also struggling internally.
A moment later, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and he gritted his teeth, whispering, "Then we'll get there first! We'll strike in the dead of night! I don't believe Belon can be faster than us!"
Jona quickly weighed the options; this was currently the only viable solution. She nodded vigorously.
"Alright! Tonight it is! That guy's probably already a level one apprentice, bro, should we get a few more people...?"
"Just a newly promoted first-level apprentice?"
Kurt's lips curled into a disdainful smile. "You think I've been wasting my three years in the tower? I can handle him all by myself."
Jona agreed, but still had concerns: "But wouldn't the sudden murder of a new apprentice cause trouble?"
Kurt's face broke into a chilling smile: "Trouble? Just throw him in that place... and there won't be any trouble at all."
Looking at her brother's icy smile, she didn't ask any questions, even though she didn't know where that place was.
At the same time, a cold smile flashed across Jona's eyes:
"Let's do it tonight!"