Chapter 724 - 452: The Fallen Genius

Chapter 724: Chapter 452: The Fallen Genius

"Magic Level: Level 3!"

Hearing the examiner’s announcement, the boy clenched his fists, his face impassive. His nails dug slightly into his palm, bringing a sharp pain, but it was nothing compared to the ache in his heart.

A stir went through the testing hall as the crowd began to murmur:

"How could the Evans Clan’s genius end up like this? In just one year, he’s fallen from a Level 10 Talent to Level 3."

"Who knows? I’ve never seen anything like it. I heard the Evans Clan even brought in a Priest from the Holy Hall Church, but they couldn’t find anything wrong. It’s probably Hawke’s own fault."

"He probably got arrogant and squandered his talent."

"Who knows. The Evans Clan has really been disgraced this time. Oh, and don’t forget the Milans Family. Miss Jeanne is betrothed to Hawke, hehe. Things are about to get interesting. I bet the Milans Clan will call off the engagement. Miss Jeanne has a Ninth-Level Magic Talent and a boundless future. If she marries a failure like Hawke, her life will be completely ruined."

"Call off the engagement? Sheesh, this sounds just like the plot of a popular novel."

"What are you dreaming about? This is real life, not some novel. You think Hawke’s just going to awaken his talent the moment they call off the engagement? Don’t be ridiculous."

Hearing the crowd’s whispers of pity, mockery, and derision, Hawke felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

A year ago, at the Magic talent assessment ceremony, he had been found to possess the highest possible Level 10 Magic Talent, stunning all of Red Maple City. He should have demonstrated an incredible aptitude for learning Magic, but strangely, in his subsequent classes, he displayed a slowness that defied his talent.

It took him two weeks of rote memorization to learn what others mastered in one. Simple concepts were manageable, but anything even slightly more difficult was impossible for him to grasp. It felt as if his mind was clogged, slow and unresponsive.

His instructor was furious with his performance, assuming Hawke was just being lazy and relying on his natural talent. But Hawke couldn’t explain his struggle and had no choice but to tell his instructor and his family the truth.

His parents took him for multiple medical check-ups, but no one could find anything wrong. His instructor then suggested he be tested for Magic talent again. The results showed that his talent had inexplicably dropped from Level 10 to Level 5.

When the news spread, it caused a massive uproar. Caught in the eye of the storm, Hawke had endured unimaginable pressure over the past year: his parents’ sighs, his instructor’s resignation, his classmates’ pity, and even cold glares, ridicule, and gloating from others.

The past year had taught Hawke just how fickle people could be, forcing the eleven-year-old to mature far beyond his years. Yet now, seeing his talent fall to Level 3, he couldn’t help but feel a fresh wave of despair.

Hawke turned and walked away, dejected. The child in line behind him eagerly stepped forward and placed a small hand on the Magic Ball.

"Magic Talent: Level 5!"

"Next... Magic Talent: Level 6!"

Children who grew up in the Magic Academy, or those whose parents were Mages, tended to have a far greater talent for Magic than outsiders. It wasn’t uncommon for them to possess high-level talents.

Hearing the exuberant cheers behind him, Hawke’s heart soured even more. He pushed straight through the crowd and left the testing hall.

There was a park in the Magic Academy, and Hawke loved hiding in a deserted corner to think. The quiet environment allowed him to temporarily escape the eye of the storm and stop thinking about all the things that vexed him.

He lay on the grass, staring at the sky. A tiny sliver of the Sun was missing, as if being eaten away by Darkness.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching. He turned his head and saw a blonde girl walking toward him. Her casually tied high ponytail shimmered under the sun. Though young, she possessed an air of sharp competence.

Most striking of all, the girl had a pair of brilliant golden eyes, as captivating as molten Gold.

"Jeanne?" Hawke sat up. "Do you need something?"

"I heard your talent dropped to Level 3."

"Mm," Hawke said, lying back down with a dismissive wave of his hand. "If you want to call off the engagement, talk to your parents and my parents. It’s no use talking to me."

"I’m not here to call off the engagement, nor do I want to." Jeanne sat down beside him.

Hawke looked at her, surprised and suspicious. After a moment, he said, "Aren’t we a little young to be talking about ’like’?"

Jeanne rolled her eyes at him. "I don’t like you."

"Then why not call off the engagement?"

"I don’t want to."

Hawke thought for a moment, then asked suspiciously, "You’re not planning on using me as a shield, are you? With an engagement in place, no one will dare bother you."

"Congratulations. You guessed correctly," Jeanne acknowledged with a nod.

Hawke sighed in resignation. "Could you at least consider my feelings? I’m already under a lot of pressure."

"Isn’t that a fiancé’s responsibility?" Jeanne retorted.

"Well, now you have my attention." Hawke sat up again. "In that case, as my fiancée, shouldn’t you also share some of the responsibility?"

"Of course," Jeanne agreed, nodding.

"Huh?" Hawke froze, completely caught off guard by her answer.

Jeanne pulled a card from the pocket of her Magic Apprentice uniform. "This is the address of a Knight. Since your talent has faded and it’s difficult for you to learn Magic, you might as well try a different path."

’A different path...’ Something stirred within Hawke. He took the card.

「The next day.」

Having not slept all night, Hawke left the Magic Academy and set off for the city where the Knight lived.

After a long and arduous journey, he finally arrived at the Knight’s home. He knocked on the door, weary and dust-covered. A composed, middle-aged man opened it.