The Sorcerer's Handbook

Iger said, ”I’ve seen a healer slip onto a transport ship using nothing more than the excuse, ’I want to go back and eat a proper meal.’ Once aboard, they didn’t even have to remove their masks. No one checked their identities the entire time.

”I don’t know why they enjoy that privilege, but from what I’ve observed, a healer’s status seems to outrank even the prison guards.”

Ronna’s eyes flickered. ”You’re planning to target the healers?”

Iger replied calmly. ”No. We’re just borrowing their clothes. The plan is simple. We meet in the restroom, Ashe removes the chips from the backs of our necks, and during the next ten minutes, each of us heads to a treatment room. There, we subdue a healer with our spirits and take their clothes. Then, before the prison alarm goes off, we blend in with the transport ship preparing to depart. Of course, we cannot harm the healers. Their deaths would immediately trigger alarms and draw the guards’ attention.”

Iger continued, ”Is everyone clear? It’s straightforward. The only part that needs practice is moving from the treatment rooms to the harbor in just a few minutes. Train hard over the next two days.”

Ashe asked, ”What if the prison notices the healers are injured and orders the transport ship to stop and check us?”

Iger said evenly, ”That’s when the Gourmet and the Woodpecker gang’s Golden Mouth step in. With the element of surprise, can you handle the Bloodrage Hunters on the ship?”

Ronna looked at Ronald. He took a deep breath and nodded firmly. ”We can.”

”I’ll protect Ronald,” Ronna said.

”When does the transport ship arrive?”

Iger dipped a finger in water and wrote a large ”2” on the mirror. ”It comes to the prison on the 1st, 11th, and 21st of each month. Today is the 19th. Ashe, that means you have two days to master your Miracle and use it under mana restrictions. Any problems? If you can’t, the escape will be postponed until the first of next month.”

Ashe fell silent for a moment, then nodded. ”No problem.”

”Then... that’s it for now. Over the next two days, adjust your mindset, rehearse the route, or just eat and drink as you like. Don’t leave any regrets.”

Ronna and Ronald were the first to leave. Just as Iger was about to exit, Ashe spoke up. ”This plan assumes the chip changes its signal frequency in a special state. But what if it still transmits at a fixed interval? The plan would fail instantly. The moment we remove the chip, the processor could detect the anomaly the next second.”

Iger turned back, meeting Ashe’s gaze. ”Yes. That worst-case scenario could happen.”

”And if it happens?” Ashe asked.

Iger snapped. ”And you’re asking me what to do?”

He lunged forward in a single step, grabbed Ashe by the collar, and stared him down. ”What were you expecting? A perfect, risk-free plan? Something you could throw back at me for revisions if you weren’t satisfied? Or some whimsical request, like walking out of Shattered Lake Prison on a rainbow?”

He might have intended to lift Ashe or slam him against the wall, but the restroom only granted excretion privileges, not attack permissions. All Iger could do was hold Ashe’s collar.

Ashe didn’t flinch. ”If it helps you feel better... I’m sorry. I used you. But I’m also glad it was you. If it’s anyone else, they couldn’t have come up with a plan this feasible.”

He let out a cold laugh. ”You think flattery will work?”

Then, almost suddenly, his anger vanished. He straightened Ashe’s collar and said slowly, ”Still, if you want to prepare more and give the plan a wider margin for error, it’s not impossible.”

”How?” Ashe asked.

”Pray to your Four Pillars Deities, my dear cult leader,” Iger said, casting him a look of pure contempt before turning and walking away.

***

At Sword and Roses University of Cailleach.

”Professor Librom, I really think Louisa would be a better choice. She’s hosted plenty of events before and would surely welcome the chance to be the emcee...”

The young professor with a textbook in hand paused and looked at the persistent student with a helpless expression. ”Miss Selby, the host for the intercollegiate gala has already been approved by six department heads and reported to the dean. This isn’t some minor departmental event you can freely swap people in and out of as you please.”

Sonya’s eyes widened in panic. ”Professor, I didn’t mean that at all! I’m not close to Louisa, and I’m definitely not giving her this opportunity out of favoritism! If you want, she doesn’t have to take it! I’ll accept a second- or third-year senior as my replacement!”

Librom sighed. ”Miss Selby, do you remember our school motto?”

Sonya replied helplessly, ”Promise is the rose on the hilt; protection, the blade beneath.”

Librom said seriously, ”Promise-keeping and protection are the greatest expectations the school has for you. If you wish to resign from this emcee duty, you need a valid reason. Poor performance in such an important task would reflect badly on how the school evaluates you.

”And as Professor Trosan’s research apprentice, you must remember, any appearance of favoritism or negligence could even earn you a formal warning.”

Privately, Sonya enjoyed many privileges as Trosan’s apprentice. Her course instructors often overlooked her homework mistakes. Publicly, however, every action she took was scrutinized under the strictest standards. As the university’s top student, she embodied its reputation. Not a single flaw could slip by, nor anything that might tarnish the school’s image.

Disciplinary action began with a warning, followed by suspension, and then expulsion. One warning, and she would be just a step away from being sent back home to farm.

”I... I’m unsuitable for the emcee role... for personal reasons...”

”What reasons?”

Her lips trembled, but what came out was only garbled sounds. Librom raised an eyebrow.

Librom raised an eyebrow. ”Miss Selby? Your reason?”

Her throat felt as if it were on fire. ”I... I...”

”Not feeling well? Family matters? Busy with studies? Sword training at a critical stage?” Librom prompted gently, offering options to make it easier for her to answer.

Tears welled in her eyes. ”It’s just... at the social, I have to introduce the outstanding students, praise the school’s achievements this year, and highlight the professors’ teaching contributions...”

”Yes, that’s part of the emcee’s duties. What’s the problem?”

”But... I... I... I cannot lie,” Sonya said, her voice cracking as tears ran down her cheeks.

Librom blinked, momentarily taken aback. ”That’s an admirable trait, Miss Selby. I hope you continue to uphold it. So... do you have a valid reason to resign?”

Her lips twitched. For a long moment, no words came. Then she clenched her teeth and said firmly, ”No! I don’t!”

”Very well. Have a pleasant evening, then.”

As Librom walked away, Sonya stomped her foot in frustration. She wanted to argue further, but her legs carried her toward the training hall. It was time to train.

The moment she stepped inside, every pair of eyes turned toward her. But these weren’t the usual envious gazes she was accustomed to. No. There is something else this time. Is it respect? Mockery? Or perhaps a hint of schadenfreude?

”Professor Wesley got so angry that he canceled class.”

”Finally, someone gets their way...”

”Not even Felix is this unrelenting. Is being a genius really that great?”

”Sigh, geniuses have the confidence to act as they please. They don’t need to worry about getting along with others...”

The more Sonya heard, the more indignant she became. How could I, the careful, socially adept, precise, and diplomatic Sonya, be perceived as an arrogant genius who ignored human relationships?

Worse yet, she was being compared to Felix!

At that moment, Felix entered the training hall. When he passed by Sonya, he coughed twice and teased, ”Senior Sonya, Professor Trosan actually listened to your advice and went to change his hairstyle...”

The sword apprentices around them gasped.

What could Sonya have said to prompt Trosan to give up a hairstyle he’d insisted on for a decade?

Only Sonya could achieve what no one else could!

Everyone at the school knew Professor Trosan had maintained his ridiculously outdated mushroom cut for years, but no one dared question his taste. Not even the so-called Rhythm Sword Saint, Professor Nidala, who had personal conflicts with Trosan, had ever mocked him for it.

Just then, Angelica arrived for training. Spotting Sonya, she jogged over and pumped her fist encouragingly. ”Sonya, well done! You’re right. As sword apprentices, we should be unyielding and true to ourselves. We don’t need everyone to like us. Keep it up!”

Sonya thought furiously. I don’t want to be unyielding and true to myself! I don’t want this! I want to lie, I want relationships, I want everyone to like me, so that I can get what I want more easily! I want people to accommodate me wherever I go, not treat me like a venomous pest who doesn’t know how to speak to humans!

Her frustration boiled over, and she poured all her energy into striking the training dummies. Each of her blows cut deep into the tenth ring of the armor. Strangely, the harder she struck, the more exhilarated she felt. The swings made her feel stronger with every motion, and training felt effortless. She could even sense a faint thread of joy, a continuous surge of vitality flowing through her.

Ding!

A crisp sword chime rang out. A One-Winged spirit appeared at the tip of her sword. It was the Slash spirit!

She couldn’t understand why her training had been so smooth and effective today, so much so that she even successfully summoned a One-Winged spirit. Unaware that it was the effect of the Advanced Energy Potion she had taken, she attributed all her progress solely to her own effort.

Today, she had been true to herself in what she liked and disliked. She hadn’t lied, hadn’t covered up mistakes to avoid punishment, and hadn’t gone along with others just to maintain relationships. She had stood her ground, called out Professor Trosan’s absurd hairstyle, and decisively refused Adele’s request to borrow her clothes. As a result, her training progressed smoothly and efficiently, bringing her a rare sense of enjoyment.

After taking into account all of this, a startling thought crept into her mind. Could it be that I, Sonya Selby, am, at my core, a genuinely upright and good person?