Chapter 30: Misplaced Wrath

Chapter 30: Misplaced Wrath

Eileen opened her eyes precisely on time and instinctively glanced at the flowerpot placed on the windowsill.

In the black earthen pot, a vibrant green winter mallow stood tall and graceful under the gentle sunlight, its stem about an elbow’s length. Occasionally, a mischievous ray of light slipped past the curtains, glinting off the fine hairs on the stem, making it sparkle softly—warm and endearing.

‘Well done. If we can confirm it’s non-toxic, then it might very well transition from a wild vegetable to a cultivated one. Eileen, you’ve made history.’

Recalling the words sent by Mr. Ajef, a flush of excitement rose to Eileen’s dark, thin cheeks. She never expected that the wild vegetable she had cultivated on a whim would earn such high praise from him.

"Mom, do you see? I’ve met a mentor in life—someone truly remarkable. Under his guidance, I’ve finally found my direction. I’ll keep working hard, so fewer people have to suffer from hunger."

Eileen whispered a prayer to her mother, then sprang energetically from her bed. She slipped on her slightly frayed snow-white mage robe and carefully fastened the purple snowwood wand—a reward from Mr. Ajef—at her waist. Only then did she summon a Clean Spring to wash her face.

Next, she hurriedly accelerated the growth of a dwarf fruit tree on her balcony, plucked a fruit, popped it into her mouth, and cradled the winter mallow pot before rushing out of her private quarters.

She couldn’t wait to see Mr. Ajef and show him the results of her research.

A gut feeling told her it was definitely non-toxic.

Along the way, many magic apprentices pointed and whispered at her. Eileen, who had always been invisible, felt uneasy under the sudden attention. Catching snippets of conversation—keywords like "purple snowwood wand"—made her realize why she had become the center of attention.

Outwardly, she remained calm, but deep down, she couldn’t suppress a small flicker of shy pride.

Wasn’t it something to be proud of, earning the admiration of someone as distinguished as Ajef?

The breeze brushed past her ears, lifting strands of her hair. The sunlight felt so wonderfully warm.

Her steps grew lighter, even carrying a hint of joyful skipping.

But as she rounded a corner, she instinctively slowed and moved aside.

A red-robed Archmage, around fifty years old, was approaching.

Upon closer look, it was none other than Archmage March, a member of the Willis Magic Plantation Association.

She had intended to let him pass first, but to her surprise, he stopped and fixed her with a hawk-like glare. "Purple snowwood wand? So you’re Ajef’s assistant, Eileen?"

"Yes, Lord March." Eileen quickly pressed her right hand to her chest and bowed her head in respect.

"A magic apprentice, running and jumping around in such a flustered manner—what kind of behavior is that?" March scolded.

Eileen kept her head lowered, not daring to speak.

She didn’t know why she had angered March, but her early life had taught her one truth: when someone held absolute power, their wrath didn’t always need a reason.

Just as a child could crush a beetle without a second thought—and no one would blame them.

Eileen’s silence reminded March of Ajef’s cold indifference, fueling his irritation further.

He sneered, "You don’t look like a noble mage at all. More like some lowly peasant!"

Eileen remained bowed, her dark, thin face as unreadable as a weathered stone.

Eileen's attitude only fueled March's fury!

Had she retorted, shown anger, or even clenched her fists, he might have felt somewhat appeased.

But she was utterly calm!

Her expression of passive acceptance made his humiliation feel like punching air—frustrating, infuriating, maddening!

It was just like facing that detestable Ajef.

Earlier, he had visited Ajef on behalf of the Willis Magic Plantation Association, offering to share some plantation profits in exchange for the return of the magic apprentices Ajef had requisitioned.

To his shock, Ajef refused without a second thought.

No matter how eloquently March argued, alternating between threats and bribes, the only response he got was: "Take this matter to Dandell. If he agrees, I’ll agree."

Ajef’s words left March seething. He even began to wonder—was Ajef merely Dandell’s mouthpiece?

Or was Dandell dissatisfied with their offer?

March didn’t know.

Faced with Ajef’s unyielding stance, he could only swallow his rage and storm off.

On his way back, his anger festered, boiling to the point where he nearly turned around to smash the Magic Forest to pieces.

Then, by sheer chance, he ran into Ajef’s assistant, Eileen.

"Winter mallow? What are you doing with winter mallow?" March’s gaze locked onto the flowerpot in Eileen’s arms.

Eileen pressed her lips together and replied softly, "This is Mr. Ajef’s experiment. He asked me to take care of it."

She deliberately invoked Ajef’s name, hoping to avoid trouble.

But her words only piqued March’s curiosity.

Narrowing his eyes, he summoned an invisible Mage Hand, lifting the pot from Eileen’s grasp and pulling it toward him.

After a brief inspection, his expression twisted into a snarl.

"You’re lying."

"I—I’m not."

"This is just an ordinary winter mallow! And you dare call it an experiment? If it were truly experimental, would a mere magic apprentice be allowed to take it out of the lab? Do you think I don’t understand Wood Spirit Magic?"

March sneered.

"CRASH!"

The clay pot shattered violently against the ground, sending shards and soil flying. The lush winter mallow was crushed beyond recognition.

Eileen’s pupils contracted. Ignoring the broken shards, she dropped to her knees, desperately trying to salvage the plant.

But March clenched his fist in midair, and an unseen force seized the winter mallow, grinding it into pulp.

Eileen froze, stunned.

She stared at March in disbelief, unable to comprehend why he would do this.

"Hmph! A magic apprentice with such disgraceful conduct is an insult to magic itself!" March berated her, then added scornfully, "A crooked tree casts a crooked shadow!"

With that, he strode away.

In the distance, several magic apprentices watched, some gloating, others shuddering in fear.

One even excitedly posted the incident anonymously on the school Forum.

Eileen remained motionless.

For a long moment, she stared blankly at the pulped remains on the ground. Then, with eerie calm, she stood, cast Earth Magic to sweep the debris into the garden, and walked away expressionlessly.

When she arrived at the Magic Forest, Ajef was sorting through seeds—evidently yesterday’s harvest.

He saw Eileen and greeted her warmly, inquiring about the winter mallow cultivation.

Mr. Ajef's gentle demeanor eased Eileen's troubled mood considerably. She offered a sincere smile and explained the progress of the winter mallow cultivation in detail before presenting the homozygous seeds she had deliberately saved the night before.

"You've done well. I’ll have Doman check for toxicity later and induce some mutations. If we can improve its taste, this might very well become our lab’s first major achievement!"

Yu Sheng'an’s words lifted Eileen’s spirits even further. She quickly responded, "Sir, should I cultivate another batch first to produce more seeds?"

"No need. Let Doman handle it. His magic reserves are abundant—no sense wasting yours. Save your strength; there’s an important task for you today."

The emphasis in Yu Sheng'an’s words made Eileen pause, a sudden pang of emotion tightening her chest. She suppressed it and replied firmly, "Understood!"

Before long, magic apprentices began arriving one after another. Their gazes lingered on Eileen with a hint of peculiar curiosity.

With Ajef present, however, no one dared to gossip.

A short while later, Doman arrived with his granddaughter, Dorothea.

Unsurprisingly, the apprentices were astonished to learn that Doman was also involved in the magic experiment, further reinforcing their belief that Mr. Ajef had mastered profound Wood Spirit Magic.

After assigning tasks, Doman suddenly approached Yu Sheng'an and said, "Mr. Ajef, I heard March gave Eileen some trouble. Do you need my help?"

His granddaughter had informed him of the incident, and his first reaction had been delight—this was the perfect opportunity to curry favor with Ajef.

Yu Sheng'an looked surprised. "March troubled Eileen?"

Doman was taken aback. "You didn’t know?"