Dark Wizard: Rise! My undead army!

Belloc withdrew his gaze, walked to the lab bench, pulled a book from the shelf, opened a small box, and took out several black stones.

The stone, like the black stone used to store knowledge in the ossuary, had extremely fine runes engraved on its surface.

"Here, take this." Belloc handed the book and the black stone to the girl.

"The book is a meditation method for the soul, much better than the basic meditation method engraved on the academy's nameplate."

"The Black Stone contains several soul-based sorcery techniques suitable for you. Once you cultivate your spiritual power, you will be able to probe into it and read its contents."

The girl quickly reached out and took it, holding it in her arms with some difficulty.

Belloc then took out a shield-like apprentice-level magical artifact and placed it in her hand:

"This is a defensive magical artifact. Once activated, it can block several apprentice-level attacks. Since you're just starting out, carry it for self-defense."

The girl looked down at the thing in her arms, feeling both flustered and warm inside.

She didn't know the exact value of these items, but she could tell from the expressions of the other apprentices that this was definitely not the treatment a newcomer should receive.

"Thank you, mentor," the girl said softly.

The apprentices were dumbfounded.

They've followed Belloc for so long, and they still have to exchange magic stones or contribution points for a meditation manual.

This girl just entered the door, and her mentor is already giving her a bunch of things for free? Even an apprentice-level defensive artifact?

Why should I?!

The two male apprentices felt even worse, but having almost been blasted into idiocy by mental energy just now, neither dared to say a word.

Belloc ignored what they thought and turned to look at a third-class female apprentice with a short ponytail.

"Lily, show her around the academy, help her arrange accommodation, and teach her basic meditation techniques as soon as possible."

"Do everything you can to meet her needs. If there are any academy missions, someone must accompany her at all times to ensure her safety!"

Lily was taken aback.

She had been with Belloc for over a decade, and her mentor always valued "equivalent exchange" above all else, never treating anyone this well before.

Why is this happening all of a sudden today?

But an order is an order, and Lily didn't dare to ask any more questions. She quickly nodded and said, "Yes, mentor."

Belloc glanced at the girl again, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

He has to go back to the Department of Souls to take charge of his work; he can't stay here indefinitely.

As soon as Bellock left, the laboratory seemed to thaw, and several apprentices swarmed around him, bombarding him with questions.

"What's your name?"

"Where are you from?"

What is your relationship with your advisor?

"What is your talent?"

...

The girl was surrounded and had to back away until her back was pressed against the edge of the lab table.

She clutched the object in her arms tightly, her voice soft and incoherent: "I...I don't remember."

"Don't you remember what?" a round-faced female apprentice pressed.

"I don't remember anything from before," the girl said, lowering her head.

"When I woke up, I saw Instructor Belloc. He said I had been rescued and brought to the academy. Seeing that I had nowhere to go, he took me in."

"I haven't remembered the name yet. I'll tell you when I do."

"You don't even know her name?" a male apprentice couldn't help but ask. "You're not your mentor's illegitimate daughter, are you?"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Lily walked over and glared at the male apprentice. "You dare to gossip about your mentor? Have you no patience?"

The male apprentice shrank back, not daring to speak again.

The others also dispersed awkwardly, but their eyes remained fixed on the girl.

Lily walked up to the girl and softened her tone: "Don't be afraid. Since your mentor asked you to come with me, you can call me Sister Lily from now on. I'll take you out for a walk and help you get familiar with the surroundings."

The girl nodded and whispered, "Thank you, Sister Lily."

Lily led the girl out of the laboratory and strolled around the academy.

As she walked, she introduced the various buildings and areas in great detail, clearly trying to build a good relationship with the girl.

"This is the mission hall. You usually accept and turn in missions here. Since you're new, don't rush to accept any missions. Wait until you've mastered the meditation technique."

"That's the Ghost Market. Many wizards and apprentices do business there. If you need any daily necessities in the future, you can buy them with magic stones or contribution points."

"To the west is the Withered Garden. You can stroll around the outer area, but don't wander into the deeper parts. There are many negative energy plants there, some of which can even poison a third-class apprentice."

The girl followed behind her, like a small animal just released from its nest, constantly looking around.

At each place she passed, she would quietly ask, "Can I go to this place?" or "Is that dangerous?"

Lily didn't find it annoying and replied to each sentence one by one.

When the two reached a stone bridge, Lily suddenly stopped, pointed to the grayish-black river below, and said:

"This is the River of Wailing. There are many low-level undead in the water. Don't stand by the river for too long when you're alone in the future."

The girl glanced down from the bridge and saw several blurry shadows moving slowly in the water, resembling human figures, yet not quite human.

Her heart tightened, and she quickly looked away, but a strange sense of familiarity welled up inside her, as if she had been to this "River of Wailing" before.

And... it seems like something is waiting for her in the river.

"Are all the things in the academy this... scary?" the girl asked softly.

"You'll get used to it," Lily said. "Since you have a talent for the soul, you'll have to deal with these things sooner or later."

The girl didn't speak, but simply hugged the book in her arms even tighter.

The two continued walking forward.

Lily took her to a row of small shops near the apprentice living area and bought her some daily necessities.

Two quilts, a small spirit lamp, and two sets of apprentice robes for changing.

As Lily was taking out the magic stones, the girl stood to the side, somewhat at a loss: "Sister Lily, how am I supposed to pay you back for this money?"

"Don't think about that now." Lily shoved the things into her hands. "Your mentor said I'll handle your needs, and this will be on your mentor's tab."

The girl opened her mouth, but in the end only responded with a soft "Oh".

After they finished shopping, Lily took her back to her dorm room.

"My roommate used to be a female apprentice. She's been gone for a long time and hasn't come back, and I doubt she'll ever come back."

In the Tower of Bones, disappearance means death. Who knows where your roommate died? Nobody cares anyway.

Lily opened the door to a stone chamber, inside which were two stone beds, one of which was empty.

"You'll sleep here from now on."

The girl walked into the dormitory and touched the cold stone bed with her fingers.

The rough stone surface carried a slight coolness that traveled up her fingertips, and she suddenly felt a little more at ease.

She spread out the bedding, took off her shoes, and slowly lay down.

The girl opened her eyes, staring at the gray-white stone wall above her, her mind churning again.

She couldn't remember her name or where she came from. The events before her death were like a fog, impossible to grasp no matter how hard she tried.

But she didn't want to be a nameless person for the rest of her life; she needed to have a title.

The girl turned over, buried her face in the blanket, and after a while, she said in a muffled voice:

"Sister Lily, I want to give myself a name."

"Oh?" Lily turned to look at her. "What's your name?"

"Maggie," the girl said.

Lily thought for a moment and nodded: "It sounds nice, then I'll call you Maggie from now on."

The girl gave a soft "hmm" and closed her eyes.

She finally has a name, even though she chose it herself. At least if someone asks her about it in the future, she won't have to say "I don't remember" anymore.