In Lafite's room.

Chris, Nina, Robinson, and Robin were present outside of Lafite's room, along with a few members of the Death Sail League. Glenn was not acquainted with them, yet they had a close relationship with Lafite.

Glenn flew there hurriedly and landed at Lafite's room. He then asked worriedly, "How is she doing?"

"Glenn, just go in there and check. She's never been so aggrieved, but she tried to maintain calm and just drove us out," Chris answered Glenn reluctantly.

"Hm," Glenn responded lightly, then he entered the room and left behind the crowd outside.

Chris then heaved a sigh, and said slowly, "Since Glenn is here, we can leave."

In a while, the crowd had thinned, and who remained there were only Chris, Nina, Robinson and Robin. Suddenly, Robin hesitantly ventured a question.

"Glenn flew here. It seems that he didn't use a Magic Tool at all, right?"

The few words reminded the remaining group of Robin's observation.

Robinson became astounded at his speculation. He then said, with his mouth yawning, "Is Glenn now an official sorcerer? Only a sorcerer could harness the natural power Robinson became astounded at his speculation. He then said, with his mouth yawning,."

"That's not possible!" Chris doubted it loudly, "I'm not gonna agree with you on this if reason is still with me."

Nina cut in and said like a timid lamb, "Maybe it's Glenn's special sorcery. He has gotten himself a mentor after all."

It was a fact known to Chris and the others that Glenn had been admitted by a sorcerer, but they didn't know it was one of the school's presidents--sorcerer Norris--except for, of course, Lafite.

However, the group did feel that Glenn had become mysterious by the day, and he had gotten far ahead of them in terms of sorcery acquisition. Failing to figure out the reason, they left gradually.

And the reason for Glenn's ability to fly was a primitive application of the repulsive-gravitational force.

...

The door creaked open gently.

"As I said, I'm fine. Please just leave me alone." Believing that it was Chris and Nina again, Lafite said impatiently.

She was attentively studying an orange-colored leaf at her testing table. It was giving off a strong fragrance. Glenn judged that the leaf had psychedelic and narcotic effects. When hearing the noise of the door being opened, she spoke these words without moving her eyes off the leaf.

Lafite's "laboratory" was spacious and bright. Gleams of sunlight penetrated the room windows and landed on the table. The bookshelf behind her was antique and exquisite. A few rare plants were separately placed on the corners of the room, and one of them was so luxuriant that its vines reached the roof and encircled it several times, presenting the room a beautiful botanical garden.

Of course, as the closest and dearest person to Lafite, Glenn was well-aware of the fact that these plants didn't only serve as ornaments.

At this time, as Lafite was doing her research, her brown-dark hair caught a strand of sunlight, which made the ice on her face more noticeable. She was using ice to reduce the pain!

At this time, as Lafite was doing her research, her brown-dark hair caught a strand of sunlight, which made the ice on her face more noticeable. She was using ice to reduce the pain!

As Lafite inadvertently brushed off the strand of hair that had covered her face, Glenn noticed her face. Half of it had been dehydrated and withered to the extent of a dead woman's, and the necrotic skin had spread to her neck and below. Glenn guessed that maybe half of her body might have been damaged. Upon seeing this, he couldn't help but clench his fist.

The silver lining out of it was that the area where the normal skin and the impaired skin was located seemed to be healing, and it was a few tender shoots belonging to some vines that were doing the job. However, the process seemed to be tough and slow and it might take several years to be fully cured.

Upon seeing this, Glenn could judge that it must be Bionna who had caused this--the woman who always pretended to be innocent!

When thinking of the crabby temperament of both Lafite and Bionna, Glenn found that it was easier to understand why there had been a conflict going on between them.

Lafite was sitting at the table quietly. Despite the ugly appearance, she still wore that arrogant look. While watching Lafite, he felt his heart breaking. What he could do was not to step further, abiding by the underlying rule shared by sorcerers--respecting one's independence!

The silence lasted for quite a while. Lafite had forgotten that someone had come in, while Glenn chose not to break the silence of this moment.

After some time, Lafite seemed to have made some progress on her research. She then took a sip at the coffee on her side, which had cooled down, and stretched herself casually. Suddenly, she met Glenn's eyes. Something subtle between them had begun fermenting in the air.

Lafite hadn't cared for her appearance in front of Chris and others. Now, when she found Glenn, she lifted her hand and slightly covered the ugly half of her face. It wouldn't make a difference though, she just did it on instinct.

The previous confident eyes of Lafite's turned distraught and nervous. After a long silence, she managed to say a few words.

"You are here!"

The voice sounded aloof and inflexible. Lafite tried to be as haughty as she once was, but right now, that pride didn't work out well. Seeing her beloved Glenn, she seemed rather upset by her revolting exterior. She then lay down her hand, and exposed that part of her face, trying to resume her usual arrogance but almost immediately, she lowered her head, wanting to hide something.

Glenn said nothing. He just walked up to her. He was close to her and he could feel her body's temperature and smell her scent. He was doing his best to comprehend her complex feelings.

"Any progress on your experiment?" Glenn asked gently as if he had neither noticed Lafite's appearance nor did he know anything about Bionna. He said it as if it was just the usual, even dull yet caring words. He wanted Lafite to know that, no matter what happened, he would always be there.

"Haha..."

Lafite broke out a laughter suddenly. She then stood up and gazed at Glenn silently with her bright, clear eyes.

After that pause, she said delightedly, "Glenn, your mentor was right! Knowledge is the strongest tool we can possess. Gift is subsidiary. We're no longer the weak ones waiting to be slaughtered back on the ship. The Desperaters are not undefeatable anymore!"

Glenn was greatly puzzled by Lafite's drastic change of topic. But the content had truly rung in his heart.

"Knowledge is the strongest tool one can possess. Gift is only subsidiary."

It occurred to Glenn that the Glenn Secret Tri-Sorcery was the type that utilized knowledge to replicate others' sorceries.

Till now, Glenn had possessed one gift--Body of Fire. Based on Life Code, this gift was kind of forcibly taken! There were still two spots for the other two sorceries, which Glenn had saved for much more powerful gifts to get in the future.

However, Glenn had never truly understood that gifts were only secondary.

For sorcerers, a good gift meant that it could be used favorably to boost hisher current research. For those who had over 10 points of mental strength yet weren't able to put good use of them were still not given enough attention from sorcerers.

At this moment, Glenn was suddenly enlightened.

Knowledge was progressing all the time, but gifts could only stay at the original point. It would be rendered useless someday and would then only exist in memory. That meant, only those who could get stronger and survive in a certain period could gain the chance for more learning and then become one of the most powerful sorcerers.

...

Glenn accompanied Lafite silently as if he was her shadow. He shared her joy, watched her lose temper and soothed her loneliness and sorrow, which would be displayed only to him.

One night, Lafite walked in big strides in the school. Each step was taken in a manner that said she had recovered her confidence.

That night was when the Death Sail League called a gathering. In front of the presence of people excluding Glenn, she seemed as if she had never cared for her looks and manner of behavior, beautiful or not, she would always focus on herself and pursue her own ends.

Glenn in his loose robe followed her, soundless and odorless, like an anonymous shadow of a gorgeous girl.

"Lafite! Here you are!"

On the dark road, a sharp, aggrieved voice was heard.

A tall, male sorcerer student came into view. He was tall yet slim, like a bamboo stick in a gust.

His robe was blowing in the wind and the long black hair cascaded down his face, yet it couldn't cover his eyes filled with distress, sorrow, and hatred!

The man stared at Lafite with detestation.

Lafite stopped and glared at the man. "Roga? One of the top ten students of the school, ranked ninth, right?"

Although Lafite knew that at present, she could not compare to him or to other members of the top ten, her voice still sounded arrogant and confident because she knew she was not alone!

"You hurt my poor little Bionna! I've never seen her injured with such severity upon entering the school. She's so cute and innocent that she's like an angel to her mentors and her seniors! But now, she should have been hurt by you--a malicious woman! I know her mentor can't punish you for that, but as her senior fellow student, I will do that for her!"

As the voice ceased, a strong magical wave followed.

Lafite stood still as if she had given up fighting back.

Glenn took a small step forward, and then produced the fire element shield to protect Lafite. He then used his other hand to catch the water spout, upon which, in Glenn's eyes, was unimpressive.

An explosion followed.

Glenn made a despising expression, and his eyes under the Ashen Mask shrunk. "This intensity of power..."

Gnashing his teeth, Glenn then released from his palm a repulsive force. He then swung his hand violently as he gave a loud shout. Afterwards, the water spout changed its tracks.

Boom!

In the darkness, a dilapidated wall in the distance tumbled down. This disturbance attracted a night owl, whose green eyes stared at Roga tightly.

Glenn retreated back without even showing any hostility or glancing at Roga and continued masquerading as if he was Lafite's shadow.

Roga got so angry. He fixed his eyes on the man behind Lafite. He couldn't believe it at all!

"There's actually such a powerful person like you in the school? Maybe I haven't left the Black Tower for too long!"

The night owl stared at Roga coldly. "You are now under arre..."

The night owl was suddenly stunned and didn't finish its sentence.

Lafite, Glenn, and Roga, who was waiting to be dealt with, were all puzzled, not knowing what had happened to the night owl from the Legal Enforcement Team.

Fifteen minutes later, the night owl ignored the three and suddenly fluttered its wings and flew high into the air. Its shrill voice pierced through the night.

"Attention! Attention! All students, go to your mentors immediately. Students without mentors, go to the square right now!"

Hundreds of night owls joined that owl and screamed out the same orders as if something urgent had happened.

In a flash, the whole school plunged into a state of turmoil!