The Wizard: Starting as a Corpse Collector Apprentice and Paying for a Monthly Subscription

"Click".

The first box was opened; it contained the body of the boy who had been killed by a vengeful spirit.

The crisp sound of the metal latch snapping open was particularly jarring in the deathly silent classroom.

The middle-aged witch Lavia fanned herself with her beloved folding fan, a hint of mockery playing on her lips.

The long-faced wizard Bolton even went so far as to cast a wind-based spell on himself: [Filtering Shield].

Tyron slowly lifted the heavy leather cover.

There was no foul stench as I had expected.

There was no nauseating smell of decay.

There was no messy scene of flies swarming around.

Instead, there is a faint, cool scent of pine needles and mint, the aroma of Terran Breakthrough Fragrance Oil.

"Um?"

Lavia couldn't hold her breath any longer. She took a tentative breath and a look of surprise appeared on her face.

The inside of the box was lined with a layer of soft, fine velvet.

The boy who died a violent death lay quietly inside, his hands folded over his chest, his expression as peaceful as if he had just fallen into a deep afternoon nap.

His muddy clothes had been replaced with a clean white robe, the buttons on his chest neatly fastened.

Through the gap in the bodice, the claw marks that should have been grotesque and deep enough to expose bone had now been perfectly stitched together with fine stitches.

The stitches were so fine they resembled works of art, and the edges of the wound were neatly and smoothly finished.

This doesn't look like an experimental corpse; it looks more like a young master who has been prepared for burial by a mortician.

"this……"

Markley's previously tense shoulders slumped for a moment, but then he straightened up abruptly.

His eyes, behind his crystal glasses, stared at the corpse in the box, filled with disbelief.

Did this happen to Tyron, who is usually quiet and only knows how to say "yes," "okay," and "sorry"?

"The resurrection technique requires an extremely high degree of integrity of the corpse, especially the preservation of its spiritual essence."

Tyron spoke at the opportune moment, his voice not loud, but respectful and professional.

"The students used the Soul Gathering Ritual to stop the corpse from decaying and the spirit from dissipating."

"I remember you didn't like seeing blood, so you washed the body clean and stitched up the wounds."

Bolton removed the filtering shield and took two steps forward, as if examining a rare alchemical artifact.

"This stitching technique... must have taken quite a bit of time!" he said, his eyes scanning Tyron, trying to spot any other flaws.

Macley snapped out of his reverie, a calm and appreciative smile on his face, and asked, "Well done, Magnus. What about the other two?"

Tyron turned and walked toward the smaller wooden crate.

"These are the materials for your Skeleton Summoning spell."

The moment the lid was opened, a blindingly white light entered everyone's eyes.

It was a perfect skeleton that had been completely stripped of flesh and blood and processed through four acid washing processes.

Each bone was as white as jade, with an ivory-like sheen on its surface, and not a trace of fascia or fat could be seen.

Even Markley was shocked to find that the skeleton was not just a random pile of bones.

Tyron used brass wires as thin as hair to pre-connect the entire skeleton along the joint's axis of motion!

From the cervical vertebrae to the finger bones, every connection point fits perfectly.

"To save you time in casting spells, Master, I have pre-constructed a physical circuit for magic conduction using copper wire."

Tyron pointed to the delicate copper wire nodes, his tone as humble as if he were talking about something trivial.

"..."

The fat wizard, who hadn't spoken until now, had a look of shock in his eyes.

They certainly knew how time-consuming and energy-intensive this was for apprentices, and that it even required certain technical support.

Even if each of them had three corpse-collecting apprentices, they had never done this much for a corpse before!

"This...this really you made in one night?"

Lavia had closed her folding fan at some point, and her gaze toward Tyron was filled with deep suspicion and distrust.

This could absolutely not be the method of a corpse-collecting apprentice.

Or perhaps their operation today has been leaked.

Are these all ready-made goods prepared a few days in advance?

Deboning, pickling, polishing, drilling, threading, assembly...

Is this a job an apprentice could finish in one night? Even a skilled alchemical golem might not be able to do it with this efficiency!

"Yes, sir. The skeleton was brought in the day before yesterday, and the other two were brought in yesterday."

The long-faced wizard Bolton spoke with a hint of sarcasm: "You're really dedicated, aren't you? I bet you didn't sleep at all last night preparing for all this, did you?"

Tyron bowed slightly, his voice simple and calm: "Reporting, sir, they're asleep."

The portly wizard bent down and touched the smooth, jade-like skeleton, asking, "Where did you learn these techniques?"

Tyron replied respectfully, "My lord, it is the teachings of my mentor."

"My mentor always told me that a wizard's rigor is reflected not only in spells, but also in respect for the materials. I'm just trying my best to live up to my mentor's standards."

This flattery was delivered quite naturally.

Markley was stunned.

When did he ever teach these things? He's barely even given this corpse-collecting apprentice a second glance!

But he was a smart man, and even more so, a man who cared a lot about his image.

Seeing the shocked, bewildered, and even slightly jealous expressions on the faces of the three people opposite him, Macley's gloom vanished, replaced by an unprecedented sense of relief.

This feeling is like being dominated at the poker table all night, only to suddenly get a royal flush in the last hand.

"Cough cough."

Markley cleared his throat, his previously hunched back now standing ramrod straight.

He walked with his hands behind his back to the box, glanced at it with a seemingly critical but actually boastful look, and then nodded slightly.

"Hmm, not bad."

He turned around, looked at his three dumbfounded colleagues, and a reserved yet arrogant smile appeared on his lips.

"Please excuse my poor performance, all three of you. My student may not have exceptional talent, but he excels in diligence."

"I was indeed a bit too strict with him, after all..."

Macley pushed up his glasses, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes: "After all, Cairn Tower is a place that pursues truth."

"If we can't even master the basics of materials processing, how can we explore the deeper mysteries of knowledge?"

"I think your sudden review today should be enough to ensure that I have a sufficient supply of relevant resources next month."

"After all, my apprentices and I never waste any resources."

Lavia put on a fake smile to cover up her embarrassment.

She opened her mouth to refute, but looking at the two boxes of experimental corpses that were better than the ones she usually used, she could only manage to squeeze out a dry sentence:

"Macley, you really are a master of disguise."

Bolton gave Tyron, who was standing in the shadows, a look of wariness in his eyes.

An apprentice who can perform odd jobs to such an extreme degree is definitely not a simple character.

And Markley, who has such an apprentice, is probably not as harmless and indifferent to worldly affairs as he appears on the surface.

"Since there are no problems with the materials... let's end today's assistance with the review here."

The fat wizard closed his notebook, his tone becoming much more polite:

"It seems that Lord Macley's teaching progress is going very smoothly. I will report the resource allocation to the Tower Master truthfully."

As a member of the audit department, he did not participate in the infighting among these wizards; his job was simply to keep records.

"No need to see me out."

Markley waved his hand dismissively, displaying an air of superiority.

The heavy oak door closed again only after the three figures disappeared outside.

The tense atmosphere in the classroom instantly relaxed.

Markley let out a long sigh and turned to look at Tyron.

This time, his gaze no longer held the usual indifference and coldness, but rather a hint of doubt amidst surprise and joy, and he couldn't help but think to himself.

"Who possessed this guy? How did he suddenly become so intelligent?"

"But the soul fluctuations are normal... there are no signs of being possessed by a soul."

After thinking for a moment, he asked aloud.

"Tyron".

Markley's voice was so gentle that it gave Tyron goosebumps.

"You...did very well. Very well."

He walked up to Tyron and, for the first time ever, reached out and patted Tyron's dusty shoulder.

"Who taught you that idea of ​​using copper wire for fixing?"

Tyron raised his head, his eyes clear and sincere.

"It's about observation and practice. My father was a blacksmith, so I knew some techniques for tying threads from a young age."

"I've seen your hand gestures when you cast spells a few times, and I've noticed that you consume extra magic power when constructing skeletal support points."

"So I thought that if we could use physical means to share this pressure, it might make your experiment run more smoothly."

"It can not only make your skeleton more refined and neat, but also reduce your mental strain during teaching."

"As you know, I don't have much time to attend classes, so I resorted to this clumsy method."

"Observation... What a keen observation! I admire meticulous and diligent students."

The admiration in Macley's eyes deepened.

He could tell that this lowly apprentice had truly become enlightened through hardship and knew how to please him.

As long as he has the intention, he is worth nurturing.

Most importantly, this apprentice had just saved him face and, more importantly, secured his crucial resource allocation.

In this wizard's tower, resources equal status.

"It seems you've grown a lot in the last six months, and I'm very pleased."