I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 13 Murder
The bells chimed continuously at five in the morning, so loudly that even the sleeping doves opened their eyes and flapped their plump wings in protest.

DuPont glanced at the wake-up service he had set, got up, and gulped down the contents, his expression one of struggle.

Today he's going to try killing a large animal, partly to bolster his courage and partly to gain experience points; he can't let laziness ruin things.

You have 28 days left to pay off your debt.

Your physical condition has improved somewhat; the decrease in constitution caused by malnutrition has decreased from -3 to -2.

After a quick wash, DuPont began copying the scroll again, taking advantage of the fresh morning air.

昨天从餐厅回来他又抄写了两张卷轴消耗掉了20经验，总数来到了434。去了饭钱财产则是1金4银70铜，8张一环卷轴，3张空白羊皮纸，并且今天还能领10张。

Although it's still a drop in the bucket compared to 1000 gold coins, my wealth has increased considerably since the day I first arrived, and there's still hope for the future.

However, perhaps due to waking up too early or having distracting thoughts, a moment of distraction allowed the arcane energy that had been forced together by his mental power to find a way out. It became unusually lively and scattered, causing a patch of the dried elven script on the scroll to suddenly disappear, making DuPont's heart skip a beat.

Oh no, this scroll is ruined.

Although the magic in this scroll has not completely dissipated, once the spell is destroyed, it cannot be repaired. New ink will not enter the magic circuit that has already been formed, so this scroll can be said to be beyond saving.

The scroll, worth 1000 coppers, thus became toilet paper.

This is causing DuPont some distress, as he now has to count every penny he spends, which is a significant loss for him.

We should have reverence for magic.

DuPont silently recited this in his mind.

He hung the broken scroll in front of the window, glanced at it and saw that he still had plenty of time, washed his face and tried again.

This time he was completely focused and took 26 minutes.

The progress was obvious, but DuPont still wrote a few words on that piece of discarded parchment and hung it on a nail in the window frame.

Stay cautious and remain calm at all times.

DuPont put away the scroll, picked up his cane, and headed to the dining hall. The academy was unusually quiet after the holiday; only the sound of his footsteps echoed in the corridor, the faint reverberations making it seem as if this expensive academy belonged to him alone.

Unfortunately, this was just an illusion, DuPont chuckled self-deprecatingly.

Upon arriving at the canteen, the human chefs in the kitchen were already busy, but it was still somewhat unexpected to see an apprentice walking towards the back kitchen.

Although there will be fewer people eating today, ensuring that there is enough food is the top priority for them. Even if there is more, there must be enough to eat, otherwise they will be punished.

As for wasting the college's vast resources, that's none of their business.

Judy, however, gave DuPont a closer look: "You're really up? You mages generally love to sleep in. I thought you weren't coming."

“If I promise someone something, I will do my best to fulfill it.” DuPont nodded to the kitchen helpers, who were so surprised that they quickly responded and kept their distance from him.

Although they were also cooks, they were all temporary workers, and were all villagers from the surrounding area who assisted Judy in learning cooking skills. Whether they were teachers or apprentices, they were all noble wizards in their eyes, beings that should never be offended.

DuPont was somewhat surprised to see the restrained expressions on their faces, but he quickly understood their behavior.

This world is inherently unequal. While the gap between professionals and ordinary people may not be as wide as that between mutants and ordinary people in X-Men, powerful adventurers can still be considered omnipotent in the eyes of ordinary people.

From single-handedly hunting tigers and bears to wiping out jackal tribes that wreak havoc, to slaying dragons and destroying kingdoms, carving out massive mountains to create floating cities, and piloting magical ships to leave the planet Toril and conquer other worlds.

Of course, the latter are almost distant mythical figures, and there are hardly any floating cities in the sky on the continent of Faerûn now, but the adventurers who can help ordinary people quell various calamities do live in their world.

This provided them with a sense of security, and adventurers were usually generous with their gold coins, purchasing their crops and services. However, while there were helpful adventurers, there were also reckless ones who committed robbery, murder, and all sorts of atrocities; they were capable of anything, no matter how heinous, if they were in a bad mood. Although this world lacked the internet, newspapers and bulletin boards still existed. Over time, ordinary people naturally kept their distance from adventurers, making them essentially people from two different worlds.

Among them, the monk is the most special one.

Harua is the most powerful mage kingdom in Faerûn. It worships the goddess of magic, and most of its followers are neutral. The kingdom is safe and its magic is advanced. Many ordinary people can perform magic tricks. It is one of the most powerful forces in Faerûn and has won hundreds of years of peace through its strength.

However, neutrality does not mean they will not do bad things. Although they may not dare to deliberately kill people for experiments under the constraints of the council, mages are quite crazy in order to obtain their experimental results. It is common for them to risk destroying the local ecosystem with magic.

Although most Harua people are used to this, acceptance is not the same as understanding. In their eyes, a mage, who can kill even when empty-handed, is definitely more dangerous than a jackal.

As he pondered, he arrived at the slaughterhouse. DuPont glanced back at the Gothic mage academy, a sense of awe rising within him.

There is a long chasm between ordinary people and professionals. How big is the gap between me, a mere apprentice, and a true expert?
The difference is probably even greater than the difference between humans and dogs.

You have to push yourself.

Thinking of this, DuPont's expression grew cold. Soon, he also saw the two animals that were to be slaughtered today.

A large, fat pig weighing 300 pounds, tied up, and a small calf, not very big, were struggling incessantly, tied to a stone pillar.

Even though he was mentally prepared to go on a killing spree, DuPont still felt a pang of pity when he saw the calf. He asked the halfling next to him, "This calf must only be a few months old, right? How much meat is left after you remove the bones? Did you send the wrong animal?"

“That’s right, but Lavoisier is a picky eater. Today he wants the thymus.” Judy looked at the calf with a hint of regret, reaching out to touch its forehead to soothe the frightened little guy. This was a healthy, healthy calf, and the price wouldn’t be much lower than that of a mature cow: “The thymus is something that calves lose as they grow up; only calves have it. Don’t think too much about it. We’ve paid enough, and the farmers haven’t said anything. Just slaughter it.”

DuPont didn't know who Lavoisier was. He was silent for a few seconds, then turned to look at the nearly two-meter-tall, shirtless butcher sitting on the pigpen drinking: "Excuse me, how can I kill them cleanly and efficiently?"

"Why are you talking like a sissy? So you want to learn butchering?" The butcher downed the rest of the wine in the bottle and let out a loud burp. His unrestrained and rugged physique and unique temperament gave DuPont an answer to who this man was.

This is not an ordinary butcher, but a barbarian with a professional rank.

Moreover, his level was not low; he felt a sense of pressure just by being in front of this person.

His sixth sense was warning him that this person was extremely dangerous.

“That’s right.” DuPont nodded, without a trace of fear in his eyes. “I want to end their suffering as soon as possible. What should I do?”

"Looks like you're not so bad-hearted," the butcher muttered, then pulled a sharp dagger about 30 centimeters long from his waist with his left hand and placed it aside. "This is the pig-slaughtering knife I've used for several years. The pig is already tied up. You can stab it in the middle of its throat, and it will die in no time. Or you can stab it diagonally behind its left elbow, which is its heart pit. That way it will die faster and suffer less."

After saying that, the butcher came to the side of the calf and took out a small iron hammer from his waist: "As for the calf, it is too big. I think that although you are in good shape, it will be a bit difficult to pierce its heart. The mages here do not like to eat calf brains because they are too fishy. Hold your breath and hit its forehead with all your might. One hit will be enough."

DuPont nodded, took the hammer, and stepped forward. The calf seemed to know its fate; a hint of fear flashed in its eyes, and its limbs could no longer support its body as it desperately tried to break free.

DuPont shook his head, while Judy walked to the side and turned her back. DuPont looked at her terrified eyes, pondered for a second, and then quickly chanted a spell, his robes emitting a dazzling luster.

Lighting technique.

A bright light suddenly appeared in front of him, and the calf instinctively closed his eyes, while DuPont brought down the hammer in his hand.

With a thud, DuPont's right arm ached, and the calf collapsed to the ground, its eyes never to open again.

As if sensing something, the fat pig, which had been secretly watching, let out a terrifying howl and struggled desperately.

Seeing the message "[Increase 10 experience points]", DuPont felt no joy. He looked at the now quiet calf, then at the indifferent barbarian, and whispered a question that sent chills down the spines of the other farmers.

"Does killing someone require such great strength?"

(End of this chapter)