Holy Institution Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Treatment towards new students (8)

"Do you all want to give it a try?" Hydin's voice sounded from behind them.

Di Lin turned around.

An extra cup of steaming coffee was in Hydin's hands.

Rui Meng said, "But I'm not a water type."

Hydin replied, "Was that how your tutor taught you?"

Rui Meng stared blankly.

"Every mage can only sense one type of element?" Contempt was visible on Hydin's expression, not the slightest bit disguised. "I don't expect any person of mediocrity to actually be capable of becoming a mage, much less there being someone who actually invited this sort of mediocre mage as their teacher."

In a split second, Rui Meng's face turned red through and through. His two hands waved around, unable to find a good spot.

Hydin turned and raised a brow at Di Lin. "Di Lin, what do you sense?"

Di Lin didn't need to shut his eyes to sense the innumerable water elements surging all around them. "Water elements. Countless water elements."

Hydin curled his lips. "I want to expel your name from my mind. Because you're not worthy of me remembering your name." His finger pointed at the gigantic ball of water. "Even the naked eye can tell that are many water elements here!"

Di Lin's gaze flashed, and he closed his eyes.

The omnipresent, bright water elements rushed into his mind. He could practically feel his head shining. The water elements thronged their surroundings, continuously revolving, revolving, revolving…

The shape of the water ball slowly became clear within his mind. He could apparently use this sort of meditation technique to take a clear look at the direction of the flow of water.

But this shouldn't be the only thing.

From the meaning in Hydin's words, there was definitely something that he should have sensed yet had not done so.

What was it?

Di Lin worked to adjust his breathing, slowly expelling the nerves that had rushed up his chest in that moment.

The water elements flowing along the ball of water gradually became distinct, just like an imaginary wall that he had thought up gradually vanishing. The scene that appeared on the inside -

The number 7!

The shining water elements were arranged in the shape of a 7. They crowded against one another, the shining white rays of light flooding his mind.

"Seven," He heard himself blurt out.

There was no response.

Di Lin opened his eyes, yet what he saw was Hydin's dissatisfied glare. Those pair of sky-like azure eyes contained traces of ridicule that would make one uncomfortable. "Only seven?"

Di Lin didn't react.

Hydin pointed at Rui Meng. "After you graduate, you can go to his family and work for a living."

Rui Meng really wanted to find a tree and shield himself with it.

Hydin looked towards the remaining people. "All of you give it a try too."

Ning Ya, Aridi, and Jeffery didn't dare to have the slightest neglect, and each shut their eyes.

Suo Suo glanced left and right. He eventually resolved to also shut his eyelids when he heard Hydin's voice. "There's no need for you to do it. It's not napping time yet."

Di Lin and Rui Meng's gazes met, and they continued to feel for the elements.

The sound of water became increasingly louder. In the end, even the surrounding sounds could not be heard clearly.

Di Lin's head felt like it was submerged in water. Except for the water, nothing else existed. Even the feeling of Suo Suo holding his hand gradually broke away from his body's perception. Every part of his body seemed to have dissolved into the water, merging with the water elements.

After an unknown length of time, so long that Di Lin nearly forgot that he was a person, the sound of water ceased.

Those sparkling water elements in his mind scattered all of a sudden.

"Di Lin," He heard Suo Suo's gentle voice shouting.

Di Lin slowly opened his eyes and faced Suo Suo's worried face.

"You're all right?"

Di Lin saw his mouth opening and closing. "What did you say?" Only after he opened his mouth did he realize that the sound of his voice was as soft as a mosquito's cry.

Suo Suo opened his mouth and repeated the words he had spoken previously.

Di Lin touched his ears. "I seem to have tinnitus." He turned and looked at their surroundings. "Where are the rest?"

"They went to eat," Suo Suo passed a pancake[1] to him. At this point in time, he couldn't help but be thankful for the foresight of Madam Charlotte, who had always taken care of him.

Di Lin glanced at the sky. "What time is it now?"

Suo Suo fished out his pocket watch. "Twenty minutes past eleven."

"So late?" Di Lin was shocked.

Suo Suo said, "En. Tutor Hydin left very early, followed by Jeffery, Aridi, and Rui Meng. Ning Ya was the second one to wake up, but you still hadn't woken up when it was dinnertime, so he left first."

Di Lin felt somewhat uneasy. He hated it when things left his control, moreover it was when he was present yet had no awareness of it.

He stroked Suo Suo's head. "You've waited for a long while."

"It's all right," Suo Suo thought for a moment. "But I saw Xi Luo just now."

"Xi Luo?" Di Lin's entire body stood at alert. "Where?"

Suo Suo stated, "He was following a forty-year-old plus magic tutor. But he didn't seem to have seen us."

Di Lin thought, that above forty years old magic tutor was most likely Xi Luo's previous tutor Chai Fuang. "Did Hydin say anything before leaving?"

"Yes," Suo Suo lowered his head timidly. "He said not to forget about the competition."

"Let's go back first," Di Lin couldn't resist placing his hand on top of Suo Suo's head and stroking his hair that was softer than even tender grass.

The two people slowly walked back along the road they had come from.

When the moonlight shone on this sort of small trail, there was unexpectedly some feeling of warmth.

Suo Suo inclined his head to look at him, his eyes sparkling. "Di Lin, what should I do if I'm expelled?"

Di Lin's hand stiffened slightly but continued to lightly pat him. "Such a day will not come." His confidence wasn't without reason. The fact that seven spots had to be left for exempted students of nobility had been written in black and white by the founders of the Holy Institution. Even if the institution's president wanted to renege on it, such a thing wouldn't happen. The only thing they needed to worry about was whether it would be a waste of Suo Suo's time to stay behind if the spell on him could not be undone, since he completely wasn't able to access the elements and practise magic.

After contemplating it, his mood sunk a little.

At that time, the King of Julan had hoped for Suo Suo to enter Saint Sauvy's Glorious Institution and become a knight. However, after Suo Suo found out that Di Lin wanted to enter the Holy Institution, he wheedled the king into giving him this spot. So, if Suo Suo couldn't learn magic, it would be equivalent to him indirectly wasting three precious years of Suo Suo's time, as well as a spot in the Institution. Perhaps when all this truly became set in stone, he should persuade Suo Suo to leave.

Suo Suo grabbed his hand. "Even if I have to quit school, I won't leave."

Di Lin was a little startled. But when he looked over, Suo Suo was staring straight ahead resolutely. This statement seemed to have been directed at Di Lin yet also uttered to himself as an expression of his determination.

"I want to be with Di Lin," Suo Suo's five fingers dug deeply into his palm.

Di Lin's palm hurt from being kneaded. He shook it lightly. "What about after graduation?"

"If you stay behind, I'll also stay behind. If you return to your country, I'll go to Shamanril," Suo Suo had clearly already given careful thought to the future. "Anyway, Father King doesn't care very much about my whereabouts." This spot in the Institution had also been given to him because his Father King allowed himself to be worn down on account of Di Lin.

Di Lin teased, "Then after I get married?"

"Then I'll live next door and be your neighbor," Suo Suo pondered. "I can even look after children."

Di Lin smiled. "Silly."

Suo Suo suddenly turned to look at him in worry. "Are you really going to marry Princess Qiaoni?"

The smile on Di Lin's face turned rigid.

"Is it true?" Suo Suo seemed to be at a loss. "My relationship with her isn't anything much. Looks like I'll need to listen to Father King next time and curry favor with her."

"I won't marry her," He knew that it was untimely for him to be saying this. After all, Qiaoni was a princess of Shamanril and the partner that he had to swear loyalty and devotion to. But this statement had been suppressed in his heart for too long. In order to avoid her, he had even planned on giving up this chance to enter the Institution! The moment he recalled that tender and beautiful yet arrogant face, his head couldn't help aching.

"Then should I still curry favor with her?" Suo Suo was a little distressed.

His hundred percent childish words could always cause Di Lin's worries to fade away. "Do as you see fit. But she isn't here now, unless you want to swim across the Illusion Lake."

Suo Suo said, "I can write a letter."

"How would you write it?"

Suo Suo started to seriously ponder over this matter.

When they were about to reach the open space where their tents were located at, he suddenly said, "I think it'll be better to get straight to the point."

"En. Then you can directly write, I am Julan's Suo Suo·Vantras. I want to curry favor with you?"

"That would be too lacking in sincerity."

"… Then what do you mean?"

"I am Julan's Suo Suo·Vantras. Please allow me to present my sincerity and devotion in currying favor with Your Highness, the respectable Qiaoni!"

Di Lin was about to grin and laugh heartily when he saw a familiar silhouette fly across and land heavily on the ground.

"Ning Ya!" Suo Suo called out loudly.

"No, that was Aridi," Di Lin stated.

"But the person who attacked him was Ning Ya," Suo Suo had always been very confident in his eyesight.

Di Lin had actually also glimpsed the scene just now, but he was clearly not as confident as Suo Suo. This was because he found it very difficult to imagine that delicate person in his memories actually brandishing a fist that carried that much power.

[1] Chinese pancakes differ from the usual western pancakes. They are generally made with dough instead of batter and may be either savory or sweet. They look like this:

Translator's corner: I'm back! Regular updates will start next week, with 2 updates per week on Tuesday and Friday.

Chapter end