Being a knight is not easy

Chapter 67 No Talent
"A weird temper?" Robin raised an eyebrow, a hint of teasing in his tone, "As long as he can let me get in touch with wizarding knowledge, I can accept any weird temper he has."

Memphis laughed heartily and patted Robin on the shoulder. "Okay, I'm relieved to hear you say that. However, I must warn you that the wizard apprentice is a complete eccentric. He locks himself in the laboratory all day long and hardly communicates with anyone except for studying magic puppets. Even the mine supervisor can't do anything about him."

Robin nodded and made up his mind: "No matter how weird he is, I will learn something from him."

The caravan stopped in front of the warehouse in the mining area, and Memphis began to direct his men to unload the goods.

Robin took the opportunity to walk around the mining area and carefully observe the operation of the magic puppets.

He discovered that these puppets were not only able to transport ore, but also to perform some complex operations, such as sorting and crushing the ore, and even conducting preliminary refining.

"The runic structures of these puppets must be incredibly complex," Robin muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He pulled out his notebook and began to record his observations and thoughts.

Just then, a young man in a gray robe came over.

His hair was messy, and there were some black stains on his face. He looked like he had just come out of the laboratory. His eyes stayed on Robin for a moment, and then he asked coldly, "Who are you? Why are you wandering around here?"

Robin looked up and saw the wizard apprentice badge on the man's chest. He immediately realized that this was the wizard apprentice Memphis had mentioned. He quickly put away his notebook and said with a smile, "Hello, I'm Robin, the caravan's guard. Mr. Memphis asked me to come to you to ask you some questions about magic puppets."

The wizard apprentice frowned, a hint of impatience in his tone: "Memphis? That businessman? Humph, what is he planning?"

Robin quickly explained, "No, I'm just very interested in magic puppets. I want to learn some mysterious knowledge about wizards. I wonder if you can give me some advice?"

The wizard apprentice stared at Robin for a few seconds, then said coldly: "Wizarding knowledge is not something that anyone can learn. Do you have the basics?"

Robin nodded, a hint of humility in his tone: "I have learned some basic meditation methods and some basic wizard theories, and I have also studied some simple mechanical structures. However, I have only touched upon them. Because of my yearning for the wizarding world, I want to learn more."

A hint of interest flashed in the wizard apprentice's eyes, and his tone softened slightly: "Oh? Then tell me, what is your understanding of wizards?"

Robin took a deep breath, collected his thoughts, and then spoke slowly, "In my opinion, wizards are people who change the real world through their control and understanding of magical energy. They are not only possessors of power, but also explorers of knowledge.

A wizard's power comes from the use of magical runes, the manipulation of elemental energy, and the cultivation of spiritual power. Whether a white wizard or a black wizard, they essentially use magic to achieve their goals, but the means and purposes differ.

He paused, then continued, "The world of wizards is far more complex than that of knights. A knight's strength relies more on the combination of his body and weapons, while a wizard's power comes from a deep understanding of the nature of magic. For example, a wizard can construct complex magic circles using runes, or enhance his mental strength through meditation, thereby casting devastating spells.

This kind of power is not only destructive, but can also be creative - for example, those magic puppets are the product of the combination of magic and machinery."

After listening to this, the wizard apprentice's eyes flashed with praise: "Yes, your understanding of wizards is much deeper than I thought. However, the path of wizards is not as beautiful as you think. Although our magic is powerful, it is also full of dangers. If you are not careful, the magic may backfire and even lose yourself." The wizard apprentice's warning did not make Robin retreat. His eyes were still firm, as if he was ready to face all difficulties.

Seeing this, the wizard apprentice sneered, his tone tinged with sarcasm: "It seems you really won't cry until you see the coffin. Come on, I'll take you to test your wizard talent. If you really have talent, I don't mind teaching you basic meditation methods."

Robin was slightly taken aback, and a wave of surprise suddenly surged in his heart. He didn't expect things to go so smoothly, but then he felt a little nervous.

The wizard apprentice's talk of "wizard talent" made him feel uneasy, worrying that he might not have any talent at all.

"Okay, thank you for your help then." Robin nodded, with a hint of anticipation and uneasiness in his tone.

The wizard apprentice said nothing more, turned around and took Robin into a laboratory deep in the mine.

The laboratory was filled with all kinds of strange devices and materials, and the air was filled with a faint smell of grease.

Robin's eyes were drawn to a complex instrument made up of countless runes and metal parts, with a crystal clear crystal ball suspended in the center.

"This is a talent tester. It can detect your magical affinity and mental strength." The wizard apprentice explained coldly, "Stand in front of the instrument and place your hand on the crystal ball."

Robin took a deep breath, walked over to the instrument, and placed his hand on the crystal ball as instructed.

The crystal ball instantly lit up with a faint light, and then began to rotate slowly.

The wizard apprentice was operating the instrument, staring intently at the changes in the crystal ball.

As time passed, Robin's heartbeat became faster and faster.

He felt a faint energy fluctuation coming from the crystal ball, as if probing his body and mind. However, the energy fluctuation quickly disappeared, and the light of the crystal ball gradually dimmed.

The wizard apprentice frowned, a hint of disappointment in his tone: "The test results are out. You do have wizard talent, but it is very low. So low that it is difficult to even get started with meditation."

Robin's heart sank, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. He clenched his fists, his voice a little hoarse, "Really... there's no hope at all?"

The wizard apprentice shook his head, his tone tinged with indifference. "A wizard's talent is innate. Your mental strength is too weak, and your magical affinity is insufficient. Even if you practice meditation, it will be difficult to achieve anything. I suggest you give it up and focus on the path of a knight."

(End of this chapter)