Chapter 120: The Bishop

"Responsibility lies with me. I am his teacher."

"So, specifically what kind of magic is it?"

"Mage Armor?"

"Mage Armor. I remember it's a very high-level protection school incantation, right? To be honest, even on the battlefield, I haven't seen many mages use it."

"It's not as practical as one might think on the battlefield. After all, no matter how much energy you waste to give yourself stronger elemental resistance, once the enemy soldiers reach you, you will find that it's better to cast as much fire and whirlwind as possible to stop their steps."

"By the Holy Light! I just noticed this emblem. Is he just an apprentice?"

"Alas, yes. He has been an apprentice for less than a month. He is bent on learning Mage Armor. I also see that he has some unusual talent. I thought that such a difficult spell could gradually guide him to enter the field of the protection school faster."

"Obviously, his mana level is insufficient."

"Mana level... Forget it. I don't want to discuss in depth with you what exactly happened. I understand what you want to say, Bishop. But you don't know the situation at that time. If you were me, you would also be unable to resist letting him cast it. That was his first attempt to cast Mage Armor. To be honest, it was very impressive. I was hoping he could cast it successfully at once and then give me a topic that I could talk about in the Wizard's Sanctum for another twenty years without getting bored. Unfortunately, I just hoped too much for his success, and it ended up like this."

"This is not like you, Marin. So eager for quick success and taking risks. We've known each other for a long time. I've never seen you willing to take such risks. However, I haven't been to the Wizard's Sanctum much and don't understand your style. Perhaps every teacher hopes that their students will surpass themselves. Thinking this way is quite normal."

"Perhaps you don't know me well enough."

"I admit that after this war triggered by the Dark Portal, I dare not say that I understand anything anymore. Too many things are unexpected. Even too many things have broken through the common sense I once believed in... Eh? He seems to be awake. Is it because our conversation is too loud?"

"Why do you seem to hope that he won't wake up?"

Amidst the continuous conversation, Jess barely opened his eyes, and then came an unbearable headache.

He grimaced for a while, held his head and groaned for a while until a hand was placed on his chest.

"By the Holy Light, I pray that you release this young man from this pain and set him free. Because his pain is brought about by hard work and diligence. His pain is the setback encountered when striving for a higher ideal. Holy Light! I know that you appreciate courage, hard work, and the will to win. And he is a believer who follows your teachings... Amidst the low murmurs, the headache miraculously lessened. Jess could even feel how powerless and useless his hands on his head were compared to the warm hand on his chest."

"Fortunately." A deep voice said by his head. "He woke up so quickly. At least you didn't make any big mistakes, Master Marin."

"Thankfully." Marin's voice came from by Jess's feet.

Jess tried to open his eyes again. The light was a bit dazzling.

He found himself lying in a very bright room. The bricks and stones of the room were all white, making the entire space extremely clean and holy. This was likely the hospital in the church square.

Standing beside him was a church priest wearing a gray robe and holding a silver crown in his arms. Marin was sitting at the foot of the bed. Jess tried to sit up. As he moved too quickly, his head throbbed with pain again.

"Don't get up so quickly, Mr. Jess Seathor." The priest supported him and said, "Rest is the most important thing for you now."

"How long have I been unconscious?" Jess asked weakly.

"Not long." Marin said. "About a few hours."

He looked beside him. "I told you long ago, Bishop Benedictus. It's not as serious as you think."

"This means that the Holy Light still favors this young apprentice." The bishop said with a smile.

"Thanks to the Holy Light." Jess murmured softly and came to his senses.

As soon as he felt his mind start to turn with his consciousness, he suddenly noticed what name Marin had just said. Then he turned and stared closely at the priest by the head of the bed.

This bishop was probably in his fifties and not yet sixty, similar in age to Marin.

He had thick dark gray hair. The degree of receding hairline was not high compared to his age. He had a carefully trimmed beard and his forehead and around his eyes were full of wrinkles.

Although he was past his prime, he was still physically strong. He looked broad-chested and wide-shouldered. He hadn't even gained weight yet. He looked like an old warrior who had experienced countless wars.

Was this Benedictus? The Archbishop of Stormwind personally taking care of him?

No, he wasn't the archbishop yet. At present, the leader of the Cathedral of Light and the Church of the Holy Light should be Archbishop Alonsus Faol. He was still Faol's student.

Archbishop Alonsus Faol died in the Scourge invasion more than ten years later. Benedictus then inherited the position of archbishop.

However, Benedictus' path later was worrying.

The Scourge war and the destruction of Lordaeron dealt a heavy blow to Benedictus' faith and made him increasingly doubt the Holy Light. Eventually, he went to the other extreme and fell into the path of darkness. He was used by an evil god and became one of the leaders of the Twilight's Hammer, an evil god worshiping group.

At that time, he had become a powerful shadow priest and dark priest. In fact, his communication with the shadow had begun when he was the archbishop of Stormwind. It was only when Deathwing shook the world that his true beliefs were revealed. But now, he should still be quite devout to the Holy Light, right?

Thinking like this, Bishop Benedictus exchanged a few words with Marin and left the room. Even if he wasn't the leader of the Cathedral of Light, he was also a busy bishop and couldn't stay here for too long.

Before leaving, he took a look at Jess at the door. This look seemed to be deliberately looking back. Given Jess's current situation and his understanding of Benedictus, it was really impossible for him not to think too much.

After all, Jess was now a warlock. If when he went to the priest for treatment of necrotic rot poison for the first time, he could only be considered an amateur warlock who had just barely stepped into the door. Now he could skillfully use Fear and master various shadow magics. He should be one of the most professional shadow casters in Stormwind. At least at the Slaughtered Lamb.

He didn't know what kind of treatment he had undergone while he was unconscious. What had Benedictus noticed? But Jess was sure that even if he had noticed the shadow, he hadn't told Marin.

Jess could only hope that that look was just the concern of a doctor for a patient.

Marin said, "I don't know if I should say that you are lucky, Mr. Seathor, or thanks to the bishop's piety."

"Did I faint because I overexerted my mana?" Jess asked.

"Your mana is not enough to support the arcane power you summoned, Jess. Their activity level exceeded expectations." Marin said. "In general, you forcibly used a high-level magic against my advice. But your own energy is insufficient and you overloaded your willpower. But fainting is not the most serious consequence. That's why I said you are lucky enough."

"When did you advise me, Master Marin?" Jess said. "When I was casting the spell there, I remember being especially looking forward to my success."

Marin touched his chin and said, "Just say that to others. An apprentice can make mistakes and no one will blame you."

If Jess had an accident learning magic, Marin, as the instructor, would definitely be held responsible. Even if Jess said so, Marin would still be responsible for teaching the incantation, right?

Fortunately, there were no serious consequences this time. Probably no one knew about it. So if they tried to shirk responsibility as much as possible, they probably wouldn't be held accountable.

But after this, would Marin not continue to teach him the incantation of Mage Armor?

"Was I almost successful, Master? I really feel that it was just a little bit short. It's really a pity. Wasn't it almost the same as the state of completing the spell at that time?" Jess asked.

Marin neither affirmed nor denied. He just said, "No one knows if you can succeed in the end if your energy reaches the requirement to fully cast Mage Armor. Everything still needs to be tested by the next practice. Before going to Dalaran, if you still want to progress, come to me in the morning. I won't give you the incantation to memorize now. I hope you remember our agreement at that time."

"Must practice Mage Armor in front of you." Jess repeated.

"That's right. Must practice under my supervision." Marin said. "If I told you the casting method of Mage Armor and you secretly practiced by yourself. If you fainted like this time and there was no one to take care of and treat you, think about what consequences would there be."

Indeed. Especially if he practiced at home by himself and set the house on fire, or fainted in the room and was found. Then all the things hidden in his room would be completely exposed.

Marin continued, "Next time we will start from the basics of the protection school to prepare you for your future studies in the Wizard's Sanctum. We still can't run before we learn to walk. This accident is undoubtedly the bitter fruit of being too radical."

"But there are only a few days left before we leave Stormwind. That is, two or three days." Jess said.

"Then we'll talk about it when we come back." Marin said.

Come back? Jess couldn't wait.

"Alas, I understand, Master."

He was about to leave but was forcibly kept by Marin. Marin asked him to rest here for a day under the care of the priest and make sure he was fully recovered before leaving.

Although Jess didn't know exactly where he was in the church square, at night he could hear the chanting coming through countless walls from not far away.

Lying on the bed, Jess was still thinking about the incantation that Marin taught him during the day.

"Lockpot, Arcanoya..." Just reciting these two sentences according to his memory, Jess already felt that headache coming again. It was impossible to remember what came after.

Marin was right. He was still far from being fully recovered. Don't have any connection with the ley lines for now. Let's have a good sleep tonight first.

But he would never let himself not practice any spells during the two or three months when he left Stormwind. He had already learned half of Mage Armor. How could he stop halfway?