At that time, Professor Olde's appearance had undergone significant changes.
Originally refined and scholarly in demeanor, Professor Olde now resembled a stubborn and bitter old man with darkened features, carrying about him a thick scent reminiscent of death.
Locke quickly walked away from the scene.
Over the past six months, as the number of students dying while working for Professor Olde increased, many within Aurelian Academy had come to realize something was amiss with him.
Yet the problem remained—no matter what occurred, no matter how many deaths piled up, regardless of how many letters the noble students wrote to their families—Professor Olde faced no disciplinary action from the academy. Not even his conduct was ever restricted.
This growing realization chilled many noble-born students to the bone, forcing them to take History class seriously and no longer risk failing as casually as before.
Mid-conversation with his students, Olde lifted his gaze to Locke, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes.
'Third-level Wizard Talent... That boy's luck is truly remarkable.'
'Ah, youth...'
Olde turned his attention back to the noble students from the Norman Kingdom and smiled—a smile akin to a dying man beholding his last hope, or a water ghoul lurking in river depths eyeing passersby—as he stared at these pale-faced youths. "I heard your families have refused to continue paying your tuition fees."
"If you work for me..."
...
In a three-story Victorian-style house within the estate district adjacent to Aurelian Academy, Locke met with the Augustine family members.
First was the original host's father, Earl Augustine.
Dressed in soft leather shoes and a red wool sweater, he appeared travel-worn with pallid features. Beneath his collar peeked white bandages, indicating serious injuries.
Beside him stood his nominal elder brother, Gloria Augustine, the former heir to the Augustine earldom.
According to memories, the original host and Gloria were full brothers sharing both parents. However, their mother had died ten years prior from plague-induced malaria.
Earl Augustine had remarried the daughter of a minor noble house—Sienna Brown, the original host's stepmother.
But Sienna Brown had only borne a daughter, Locke's younger half-sister.
Currently holding her daughter's hand, Sienna smiled at Locke with an expression mingling unfamiliarity and fear.
Before leaving the family, the original host hadn't gotten along well with her. In fact, Sienna Brown had protested repeatedly about Earl Augustine spending substantial sums annually to send the original host to Aurelian Academy.
But now, unlike before, Sienna Brown knew the Augustine family's continued residence here depended entirely on Locke standing before her, leaving her without her former confidence.
"Your second brother is here," Sienna urged her daughter. "Quickly call him brother, quickly..."
Locke gave a slight nod to his seven-year-old sister.
Then he turned his gaze to his father and elder brother.
Gloria sized up Locke and remarked, "Locke, you've grown taller. More mature too."
"I still remember how you looked when you left the family. It's wonderful that we're finally reunited."
Locke could sense the genuine affection his full-blooded elder brother held for him—or rather, for the original host of this body. The heartfelt sigh upon seeing him was purely because he was relieved to find that he—or the original—was doing well.
Earl Augustine coughed lightly and said, "Locke, we owe you much this time. I never expected you to secure the outstanding graduate nomination."
"It was an unexpected stroke of luck."
"That's my son for you."
"Father, brother, it's good to see you." Locke raised his brows, doing his best to blend in. Given the existence of wizards in this world, he had no intention of revealing his identity as a transmigrator.
He certainly didn't want to become experimental material for high-ranking wizards.
Locke turned to Earl Augustine and asked, "Father, you knew about the outstanding graduate nomination?"
The Earl glanced around before instructing Sienna Brown to take her daughter and leave the room, leaving only Gloria and Locke behind.
Though visibly reluctant, Sienna Brown dared not disobey her husband's command and silently exited with her daughter.
Earl Augustine spoke, "There are no outsiders in this room now—just you two brothers and me."
He looked at Locke and continued, "I had heard whispers before that outstanding graduates from Aurelian Academy command such prestige that even the king and the pope would show them deference, granting them a unique status."
"After arriving at your academy, your dean hinted at certain things to me. After all, in two years, you'll be leaving Corfu Island for a much larger world."
Earl Augustine nodded approvingly at Locke. "You've done well, Locke."
"The hope for our family's resurgence now rests on you."
"Thanks to you, your brother and I can now enjoy the academy's protection. And in the future, we might even have a chance to reclaim our lands."
"Though when it comes to your journey into the Wizard World, we can't offer much assistance..."
Locke stared at Earl Augustine in surprise. Even if Dean Tungus had disclosed some information to his father, it was unlikely he would have directly mentioned wizards or magic.
Locke said, "Father, it's not two years—it's a year and a half before I depart."
"If all goes well, that is."
As long as he became a third-class wizard apprentice by then. But given his steady progress in mastering Vine Hand, that shouldn't pose much of a problem.
Locke added, "But Father, how did you know about... wizards...?"
Earl Augustine lowered his head. "The noble circles aren't devoid of rumors and hearsay."
"Besides, your mother was a witch. She told me a few things about the Wizard World."
Gloria stared at the Earl in shock. "Father, what are you saying? You never mentioned any of this to me before!"
Earl Augustine shook his head. "I had planned to take this secret to my grave."
"But now that Locke is heading to that world, I want you both to know the truth."
"Your mother wasn't from the Corfu Continent. She was a witch from beyond our lands, who drifted here severely wounded."
"I saved her."
"She told me she was fleeing from the pursuit of enemies from the Black Sun Tower, so she took refuge in our world."
"Your mother didn't die from the plague ten years ago. Instead, she decided to leave the Corfu Continent and return to her own world."
"That is, the Wizard World."
Earl Augustine said, "Actually, the two of you have a younger sister, but your mother took her away."
"At the time, she said neither of you had the aptitude for wizardry, but your sister possessed an exceptionally high talent. Moreover, sons belong to the father, and daughters belong to the mother—so she took your sister with her."
"She left you two in the mortal world to inherit the title and lands."
Earl Augustine gave a bitter smile and looked at Locke. "Now that you're also heading to that world, I knew I couldn't keep this from you any longer."
"A child has the right to seek out their mother. Locke, this is the token she left behind."
Earl Augustine placed a black wrought-iron ring in Locke's palm. "If you wish to find your mother, take this—it may help guide you."
"Locke, this is your choice to make."
"Your brother Gorey and I lack the aptitude to enter that world. Our place is here on the Corfu Continent. But since you now have the opportunity, seize it."
Locke examined the ring. Its face bore a seal with the image of a verdant oak leaf, while the inside was inscribed with a single line—"Mother taught me to gaze upon dewdrops, Father guided me through the storm!"
As Locke recovered from the shock of this revelation, it suddenly occurred to him that the Wood Element affinity must have belonged to the original host, while his own primary elemental particle was the dark element.
Now it seemed that his high Wood Element affinity was inherited from his mother.
Locke turned to Earl Augustine and asked, "Father, did Mother use her real name while on the Corfu Continent?"
Earl Augustine shook his head regretfully. "I never doubted your mother's love for me."
"But at the time, she was evading enemies and dared not use her true name. She feared that if I knew it, it might bring me trouble later. So, she left only this token behind."
Earl Augustine continued, "Before she left, she held both of you for a long, long time. She was reluctant to part with you."
"But she told me the Wizard World is far crueler than ours. To force a child without talent into that world would be cruelty. She preferred you to live an ordinary life in the mortal world."