Master Mosido's residence was impressive, a sizable three-story building featuring seven or eight rooms on each floor. The tranquil environment made it an ideal space for wizards and apprentices to delve into their studies.
Particularly in the small room Mosido had pointed out to Sain, Sain found that his mental concentration seemed to sharpen significantly—likely due to a concealed magical array at work within the room.
To outsiders, the path of spellcasters in pursuit of truth appeared tedious and boring. Yet, within that small room, as Sain absorbed knowledge, he felt quite the opposite. Both "An Introduction to Alchemy" and "Fundamentals of Fire Elements" were subjects Sain had previously studied, but he hadn't expected to uncover so many previously unnoticed insights by examining Mosido's annotations on those texts.
Finishing those two magical notes was no small feat; even as the day drew to a close and hunger began to rumble in his stomach, he had only skimmed through five pages of "An Introduction to Alchemy" and deeply absorbed just two pages' worth of content.
To put it plainly, those two volumes would take Sain one or two months to fully digest. It was no surprise that Master Mosido entrusted them to him, likely hoping Sain would use this time to recuperate from his injuries.
As for the Initial Meditation Technique, Sain hadn't rushed into it. He felt an intrinsic sense that, in contrast to the meditation method, Mosido seemed to place more importance on the two parchment scrolls. After all, the former was merely a transfer of magical energy recorded by Mosido, while the latter were meticulous notes that the master had penned himself.
Put more simply, the Initial Meditation Technique was a practice passed down through Mosido's lineage, possibly inherited from his predecessors. However, the two magical notes reflected Mosido's personal wisdom and knowledge.
In the world of wizards, the transmission of knowledge is held in high esteem. Even though this was a territory of dark wizards in the shadowy regions, dark wizards were still a type of spellcaster.
As the day concluded, the gnawing sensation in Sain's belly and the rhythmic ticking of the quartz clock in the living room signaled that it was getting quite late. Just as Sain pondered whether he should take his leave from his mentor, the door to his room gently swung open.
A peculiar metal humanoid, reminiscent of a metallic frame, entered his line of sight, emanating a faint red glow from its top. In a stiff voice, it announced, "Master Mosido requests your presence in the dining hall on the second floor. Please follow me."
Sain was immediately intrigued by the sight of this metallic figure, clearly a non-biological entity. The nature of its appearance and origin filled him with curiosity. As a legitimate dark wizard, Master Mosido's power and the esoteric methods he employed only heightened Sain's admiration.
During his upcoming lessons with Master Mosido, Sain believed that the mysteries of higher-tier magic and phenomena would gradually be unveiled before him.
Upon following the metal figure to the second floor, Sain discovered that Master Mosido had already arrived and was seated at the head of the dining hall. Aside from the master, there were two more individuals in the dining room, seated to either side of him.
On his left sat a man clad in a light-yellow robe, a rarity since most apprentices from the Black Magic Academy typically wore black robes. The man's attire, made of a metallic fabric, stood out strikingly.
To Mosido's right was a somewhat younger-looking woman, though it was clear she was older than Sain. She was cloaked in a black robe, which concealed most of her figure—only her fair face lingered in Sain's memory.
"Ha-ha, you're here," chuckled Master Mosido, a hint of a smile breaking through his ordinarily stern expression.
After giving Sain a nod, he proceeded to introduce the two disciples beside him. "This is my new apprentice, your fifth junior brother."
"If he has any questions regarding magical knowledge or elemental domains, be sure to guide him," Mosido instructed the two disciples.
"Yes, Master," they replied respectfully in unison.
In truth, Sain was expected to address the two as "Senior Brother" and "Senior Sister."
Senior Brother Zoro was the longest-serving disciple under Master Mosido. Though he seemed unassuming, Sain sensed a considerable aura of repression emanating from him. His strength apparently surpassed that of a standard advanced apprentice; whether he had attained the level of a formal dark wizard was still unknown, but Sain speculated that his power might rival that of the academy's overseers.
Senior Sister Faye, on the other hand, introduced herself as an advanced apprentice. Sain noticed that she seemed considerably more welcoming compared to her senior brother, who offered a subtle nod of acknowledgment.
With the expertise and knowledge depth possessed by these two, guiding a mere low-level apprentice like Sain would surely be within their capabilities. After all, Master Mosido, a formal dark wizard, had numerous magical studies and experimental projects at hand, often taking on alchemical tasks commissioned by other wizards. Naturally, he had little time to solely teach Sain.
The adage holds true: a master may open the door, but the disciple must enter by himself. Until Sain fully comprehended the two magical notes and rose to the level of an intermediate apprentice, he likely wouldn't receive much personal tutoring from Master Mosido.
As the four of them gathered for dinner, they were served several enticing dishes along with some peculiar sweets. Whether it was because this was Sain's first dinner at Master Mosido's residence, or simply due to the master and his disciples' usual extravagance, the spread was impressive.
Among the delectable dishes was the black-scaled fish Sain had hoped to enjoy with Lina two days prior. Other dishes on the table bore semblance to magical creatures, suggesting they had been crafted from enchanted or even magical beasts.
During the meal, Sain learned from the amiable Senior Sister Faye that the humanoid metal figure that had brought him upstairs was an alchemical golem personally designed and developed by their master. However, this construct was still a work in progress, which explained its skeletal appearance.
Though its combat abilities were unimpressive, it was more than adequate as a daily servant. In Master Mosido's experimental processes, the golem sometimes proved to be more useful than an average apprentice.
At the dining table, Sain conversed mainly with Senior Sister Faye, while Senior Brother Zoro frequently leaned in for quiet discussions with their master. Given his strength and depth of knowledge, Zoro was probably the most capable of engaging with Mosido on complex magical theoretical discussions among the three disciples.
Sain caught vague mentions of a "Fire Element Fission Generator" during their discourse, but given his novice status, he was utterly baffled by what it entailed.
Meanwhile, excitement filled Sain as he engaged in light conversation with Senior Sister Faye, all while sampling the delicious dishes before him. It was his first experience tasting so many magical creatures.
Especially notable was a seemingly plain dish located in the center of the table, which turned out to be made from the hind leg of a high-level magical beast known as the Frost Lion Rabbit. This creature was a more formidable magical overlord than the saltwater crocodile. As soon as Sain took a bite of the meat, he was instantly struck by a chill that coursed through his body.