Glenn was in a closed, depressing room with beads of sweat dripping from his face.

"Damn it. The Tryout is tomorrow, but I still need three days to figure out the Fire Blast sorcery. Three days! Do I have to work on it during the Tryout?"

Glenn gripped his temples as he yelled. He had never behaved this crazy for a very long time.

He let a breath out and tried to control his emotions.

Eventually, Glenn sighed. "Forget it. One night won't make a difference. I'd better go to the gathering hosted by the Death Sail League. My friends will be there...of course except for Chris..."

He felt an abrupt sense of loss. It wasn't completely derived from the death of Chris. Another part of the reason was the prospect of him becoming a sorcerer in the Tryout and the wisdom that came with it. When the day came, he would use his mental strength to make him live much, much longer than normal students, but his friends...if they couldn't manage to become one...

Glenn forced himself not to overthink. He shook his head, trying to kick the thoughts out of his mind. His feelings and emotions were not compatible with his wisdom now. He could think into the future, but he would still get hurt by certain facts with his current friends and other stuff. This was an impasse that every sorcerer would undergo before they advanced----watching their friends die one by one.

This period of time was similar to the time when humans hit puberty. They started growing up but might become emotional. When they became a real, more sophisticated sorcerer, things would become easier.

The more you knew, the less one might think of yourself.

"Maybe this is the last time to see my friends." Glenn set aside the experimental equipment and rose up from before the table.

He went to a mirror. He stripped himself of the loose robe and put on a navy-blue tuxedo which Lafite bought for him. He then put on his earring, necklace, several rings and a hat inset with a gem. Finally he pulled on a pair of high shoes.

What was more, he even picked up a LoveVial from the table and sprayed it at his armpits and his neck.

He went back to the mirror and looked at himself in the mirror. He was so peaceful and autumn, not even close to the normal self----who was mysterious, and always in a hurry. He now was a human again. He smiled to make him appear more amiable and headed out of the room.

Soon he landed at the entrance of the gathering from the air and strode inside.

A few members of the league watched him in surprise as he stepped inside. They had never talked with Glenn not even once. They watched him go forward----a member who had stayed low-key but was stirring up the tides.

Glenn returned the gaze.

If he had made a change, and had been less cold and mysterious, perhaps by the arrangement of destiny, he might have made friends with them.

And today he smiled back to the ones who greeted him and offered to smile at a few of the members with whom he was more familiar. They returned the greeting in shock as if they were some aristocrats who put on the cloak of hypocrisy and welcomed him with enthusiasm.

The fact that Glenn's name appeared on the Promising Students two years ago created a great public sensation. The glory meant that he had the potential to be on the Top Ten and also the possibility of obtaining the qualification of becoming a Demon-hunter in the Tryout.

Glenn kept on walking, trying to remember every face in the hall. Most of them, the students who Glenn cared about, would become a memory of his and his memory only.

Alastair and Belle came to him arm in arm. They never made their relationship public but judging from their close behaviors, no one couldn't tell. Sorcerer students were not tempted to gossip about it though.

"Glenn, it's so great that you could come. I guess Sharp Tongue Lafite won't lose her temper this time." Alastair picked up a glass of wine for Glenn.

Glenn took over the wine and drank with a smile.

Belle, the most attractive girl among Glenn's schoolmates, surveyed him and his unusual dressing. "Glenn, this gentleman attire is much more attractive. Didn't notice that you're so charming."

Glenn smiled back perfunctorily. "I have no taste for clothes. Lafite chose these for me."

They didn't go on with the subject. They both knew what life Glenn led before he arrived at the Sorcerer Land.

On the dancing floor were students doing ballroom dancing in pairs. They were smiling with their heart. They watched their dancing partner with passion and they couldn't help but kiss.

A man came to Glenn. No one in the hall had dared to go near that man even though he had put on appropriate clothing and pretended to look casual. The coldness was in his bones as if he was a freezingly cold animal in a man's skin.

The man was Sam. He watched Glenn in his new attire and tried to force a smile. "Congratulations, you've become one of the Promising Students."

Glenn shook his head and said. "Thanks, but it's still a long way to become a Top Ten like you."

The two men exchanged a nod with understanding. However, there was a condescending pride in Sam's eyes as if he were an elder watching some young student on the rise.

But Glenn was just trying to remember what Sam looked like. "Would Sam succeed in becoming a sorcerer and compete for the Demon-Hunter eligibility with me? Or would he just die and become a memory?"

Sam left Glenn alone and Glenn went on walking. Soon he halted and turned his attention to a man who was toasting to him.

He had a strong figure with broad shoulders. He wore a tight suit with his golden hair handing down on his back. And his whiskers were shaved clean. A girl was nestled around him.

The man was Armida whose love toward Lafite was so profound.

Armida noticed that Glenn was coming to him. His appearance reminded him of Lafite and tears started to appear in his eyes. He jerked his head up and downed the wine in his hand to conceal his delicate feelings. When he faced Glenn, the tears had been substituted with a gentle smile. He had unconsciously poked the female partner beside him on the shoulder with too much strength which made the girl frown.

Glenn smile back ceremonially as he nodded. He didn't say anything more and continued walking through the dancing group towards Lafite, Robinson and Robin.

"Ha, Glenn. You're finally here. I believe Lafite would have razed down your dorm if you hadn't come." Robinson laughed as he continued dancing with Robin.

Glenn watched Robinson in his happiness. He could never forget the night when Robinson was with him and comforted him. He was a true friend.

There were people who you never cared about and mostly ignored, but when you were trapped in a tight spot, they would be there for you.

Glenn looked around and asked. "Where is Nina?"

"There she is." Robin answered and pointed to a masked girl while continuing to dance.

Glenn followed Robin's gaze and found a more sophisticated woman. She moved her body graciously. The timid girl was long gone already. The one whom she was dancing with was Lowry who had accompanied her when she was mired in a swamp in the First-years Trial.

This short, ordinary-looking, numb boy was watching Nina intently as he moved his feet to the music awkwardly.

"It's my wish that you can find happiness in being together."

Finally Glenn walked toward the girl who had been pretending to ignore him after he threw Robinson and Robin another smile.

A hot, red dancing dress accentuated her amazing figure. Her long eyelashes could be seen from time to time underneath her brown hair. The crescent earing shone in the lights. She looked at the crowd in front of her randomly as she was sitting on a bar stool with her long, beautiful legs showing.

"It's her. Lafite. The Sharp Tongue Lafite who was feared by all and who has never held back her anger except before Glen. She tried to look after her friends and made sacrifices to adapt to my lifestyle." Glenn murmured. She was so special. She stood out from all the other women. She was that girl who made his heartbeat at that very moment, the most beautiful woman in the world.

Glenn stepped towards her quietly. Lafite kept her legs crossed, ignoring his existence.

Glenn bowed deeply in front of her. "This lady, may I dare ask and have a dance with you?"

A slow sly smile crept around the corner of her mouth. She put down the wine and quipped. "Will you have me tripped with your poor dancing skills?"

Glenn forced himself not to smirk. "Then I guess this beautiful lady has to do it with more patience."

Beneath the coldness in her eyes was sweetness. She followed Glenn to the dancing floor and they started dancing. Lafite restrained herself from laughing out so that the romance would last a little longer.

This might be his last dance with Lafite.

They stared each other, both of them straining not to laugh out. There was seldom such delight between sorcerers especially when it involved a Dark Sorcerer.

Lafite watched Glenn in the eyes and asked slowly. "I feel that you're different tonight. Are you hiding something from me?"

She seemed so radiant and charming. Glenn smiled and he lowered his head subconsciously as if he was avoiding something. "No, I'm not."

Lafite didn't press him with another question. She took delight in this rapport relationship, their love, beating hearts and this warmth.

As he was dancing with Lafite, Glenn noticed a woman sitting alone in the corner. She was Raven. She and Chris were close but they never made public of their relationship if they were actually in one.

In another corner sat an elder of the Death Sail League named Berg. He was drinking green champagne with his hand supporting his face. He watched the crowd with glazed eyes as if he were a philosopher thinking about life.

Glenn sighed briefly and went back to smiling.

He kept his arms around Lafite's waist and basked himself in this beautiful, happy time. He would remember this time with his soul and would try not to forget.