The Wizard: Starting with Infinite Part-Time Jobs

"Fifteen thousand dollars. Only three thousand dollars are left."

A reply came from behind.

"So fast? I heard from Bondi that memorizing each of the later color blocks takes a lot of time." Aiden's mouth was slightly open, and his face was full of doubt.

"It did have an impact, but it wasn't that dramatic. He wasn't focused enough and was just making excuses for himself," Galatea said calmly, as if stating something perfectly ordinary.

"...Alright, then you're not far from becoming a full-fledged apprentice." Aiden said helplessly, letting out a soft sigh. "I only have eight thousand coins right now. But I also got a meditation stone, so I think my progress will improve considerably."

Hearing about her progress, Aiden couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

"Memory meditation is just the most basic step. About half of the noble wizard apprentices can complete it, as long as they have enough magic stones and patience. However, the more important test is yet to come," Galatea said calmly.

"You mean, your understanding of the occult?" Aiden thought for a moment.

"Yes, the deeper and more unique one's understanding, the smoother the path to becoming a wizard will be," Galatea nodded gently and said.

"I heard in class that the wizard ship that's there to pick us up has already set sail. It will pick up any formal wizarding apprentices from our continent who are interested in going to the wizarding world along the way."

"So fast?" Aiden was taken aback.

He still needs another six months or so to become a formal wizard apprentice, and that's assuming everything goes smoothly.

Who knows if he'll get stuck while memorizing the meditation technique someday? He shuddered at the thought of himself getting stuck.

Just last week, an apprentice who had memorized over 10000 color blocks couldn't memorize the 10001st block no matter what he tried, as if he were cursed.

In the end, he spent his days drowning his sorrows in alcohol at the tavern, exhausting his magic stones. He was then fed a potion of oblivion by an animal waiter and dragged out of the Forbidden Forest.

The animal waiter was dragging the drunken apprentice along, who was mumbling incoherently, "No, I don't want to forget..."

"I plan to take the next ship," Galatea's voice came through.

"You actually have time. Aren't there not many color blocks left? You should get on the wizard ship as soon as possible and go to the real wizarding world to further your studies," Aiden tried to persuade Galatea.

Aiden didn't quite understand the point of her actions.

"The wizarding world is the real stage, and my knowledge is far from sufficient," Galatea said firmly.

"Well, being prepared makes some sense." Aiden nodded, a look of understanding on his face.

Aiden was used to it; Galatea often said things he couldn't fully understand.

He knows very little about the wizarding world; he'll have to ask Ms. Ollie sometime.

……

Outside the tavern in the outer residential area.

Several aspiring wizards dressed in grey robes were exchanging insults, and the overwhelming smell of alcohol permeated the air, causing passersby to pinch their noses, quicken their pace, and show expressions of disgust.

A seemingly refined young man poured some wine on the ground, splashing it everywhere. A smirk played on his lips as he sneered, "Bondi, you're such a disgrace. You spent so many resources, and you've only memorized the 11000th color block. Just like this wine, go play in the mud."

"None of your business, Haske," Bondi said rudely, swaying slightly as he stood.

The young man before them was a prince of the Saint Laurent Empire, a country that had a long-standing feud with the Atlantis Empire.

Haske crossed his arms, tilted his head slightly back, and wore an arrogant expression.

"How dare you speak to our prince like that? Don't you know your own limitations?" Beside the prince, a burly-looking wizard apprentice took a step forward, clenching his fists, his knuckles cracking.

"What's wrong? You want to fight?" Bondi shouted angrily.

Although he was alone now, he wasn't too scared of these old enemies, because countless eyes were watching the Forbidden Forest Basin, and he couldn't easily do anything to harm others, at least not in public.

"Bondi, I don't want to make a move, but you're all alone now, Calvin isn't here, yet you're still as arrogant as ever." Haske patted his clothes, a cold smile on his lips.

"I heard that Calvin no longer associates with this Prince Bondi, because he has abandoned even the dignity of a nobleman and actually went to befriend a commoner, I think his name is Aiden," the burly wizard apprentice sneered, his face full of disdain.

"Who I associate with is none of your business. Worldly status is nothing to a wizard. Do you think you can rely on your fathers' legacy to cultivate, Haske?" Bondi said bluntly, giving the group a look full of contempt, as if they were a pile of worthless trash.

His friendship with Aiden stemmed not only from Mr. Ford's influence but also from his appreciation of Aiden's potential. He now knew that Aiden had secured a part-time job in the experimental zone that most people wouldn't be qualified for.

Bondi thought that Aiden had a bright future ahead of him. Someone with that kind of potential, even if he were just an ordinary person, wouldn't matter at all.

To put it bluntly, Aiden was far superior to these good-for-nothings who had been cultivating for months but were still obsessed with worldly status. He glanced at them contemptuously and let out a cold snort.

Not only Bondi, but also Galatea, gradually concealed their former secular identities. After all, mortals only live for a few decades, while wizards, even a formal wizarding apprentice, live two to three times longer than mortals.

"Bondi, you're still as arrogant as ever." Haske, who was originally very debonair, said in exasperation, his face flushed red.

"But you're going to embarrass yourself today." With that, he grabbed a glass of wine, took two sips, and then sprayed it directly in Bondi's face.

The liquor shot straight at Bondi, the splashes exploding on his face.

"Damn it, you're asking for it." Bondi instantly turned into a disheveled, drenched mess, and feeling the smell of alcohol on his body, he became furious.

"If you make the first move, then don't blame us." The burly wizard apprentice stood in front of Haske, his feet apart in a stable stance, his fists clenched, the muscles on his arms bulging like small hills.

"If Calvin hadn't been away, you wouldn't be so arrogant!" Bondi quickly calmed down and said through gritted teeth.

He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down, his facial muscles twitching slightly with anger.

Bondi realized that these people were trying to provoke him, and if he made the first move, he would at least get a good beating.

If these people were to use underhanded tactics and hit him on the head a few times, his memory progress might be further delayed.

He remained secretly vigilant, his eyes fixed on the people in front of him.