Little Sophie looked at her mother in confusion, then at Andrew.
No matter how smart she was, she was still too young.
She couldn't quite understand: Why did her mom suddenly seem not quite right with Andrew brother?
"This injury has nothing to do with Hubert."
Andrew shook his head, "I just got into a fight with an 'Advanced Magic Apprentice' on my way back. That person injured my arm, and I... I killed him."
Aunt Sofia: "???!!!???
She was dumbfounded, staring at Andrew, thinking what did this child just say? Advanced Magic Apprentice? Killed, killed?
Due to her relationship with Ivan, Aunt Sofia had some concept of the hierarchy among mages—
A Junior Magic Apprentice, which was the tier everyone thought Andrew belonged to, had no magic power or magic, just some magical knowledge unknown to ordinary people.
An Intermediate Magic Apprentice possessed magic power but no magic for the time being. Andrew was at this tier when he decided to save Barbara. Water Spirit Sensing, Water Soul Constitution, Water Spirit Technique were basically preliminary abilities and not strictly magic.
An Advanced Magic Apprentice possessed magic power and magic! Further ahead, if they passed the "evaluation," they would become an Official Mage.
The best apprentice under Hubert's command was of this level. They numbered less than ten.
You need to know that the best among the Advanced Magic Apprentices could go up against an Official Professional like Raymond (Flame Warrior, equivalent to an Official Mage) without fear, and might even win.
Andrew said he... killed an Advanced Magic Apprentice?!
Aunt Sofia felt like she didn't even know this Andrew in front of her anymore.
"Only a professional of the same Advanced Magic Apprentice level can kill an Advanced Magic Apprentice; it's impossible for a Junior or Intermediate Magic Apprentice.
Even... even an Official Mage!"
Aunt Sofia stared at Andrew, "So you... Andrew, you're now—"
Andrew wasn't someone who liked to boast.
But to convince Aunt Sofia to at least have some confidence in him, he hesitated slightly, then nodded and said, "Yes, I am now an 'Advanced Magic Apprentice.'" His tone was very calm, simply stating a fact.
After a pause, Andrew asked again, this time with a hint of urgency in his voice: "Could you help take care of my friend? Her name is Barbara, and she belongs to the Warm Fire Commerce Association!
All you need to do is take good care of her, and I'll handle the rest! Please!"
Little Sophie didn't understand anything but chimed in at this moment: "Mom, let's just give Andrew brother a hand. I can take care of this pretty sister."
But Aunt Sofia looked at Andrew, almost groaning as she asked, "What do you mean by 'you'll handle the rest'? Andrew, what exactly are you going to do?!"
Then they heard Andrew say:
"I'm going to kill Hubert! If all goes well, by the time the sun rises tomorrow, everyone in the temporary camp, everyone in Wildfire Town, won't have to live under the shadow of Hubert and his magic apprentices anymore!"
Aunt Sofia looked at Andrew, now not knowing what to say, or even what could be said.
She thought Andrew was mad.
But looking into Andrew's eyes, there was a voice in her heart saying: He's not mad. He's serious.
"No one will have to live under the shadow of the magic apprentices anymore?"
Little Sophie tilted her head, blinking her big eyes at Andrew, "But Andrew brother, you're also a Magic Apprentice."
Andrew and Aunt Sofia, who were looking at each other: "..."