Daof has twelve apprentices here. Three of them have already completed their apprenticeships and are now of unknown whereabouts.

Lucas introduced each individual with patience. Excluding himself, the others all seemed to be minors, their countenances still bearing the innocence of youth.

Glen greeted these classmates in a tone one would adopt when addressing children.

Most of these classmates were quite lively, eager to showcase themselves. Only a few, perhaps due to their introverted dispositions, merely nodded at Glen.

Once the introductions were complete, Glen took the initiative to inquire, "Where is Teacher Daof?"

"He is occupied in his research chamber. However, he should already be aware of your arrival and will likely descend shortly. Allow me to first lead you to your pre - arranged abode," Lucas said, preparing to guide the way. Yet, Leaves interjected preemptively, "Let me take him. Lucas, step aside."

The young girl pulled Lucas away and then, with a beaming smile, said to Glen, "Let me escort you. I selected your dwelling place."

Glen glanced at Lucas, who merely shrugged in resignation.

Consequently, he smiled at the young girl and replied, "It would be my great privilege."

The latter's smile broadened even further, and she promptly seized Glen's hand, dashing towards the magic house.

Despite her diminutive stature, the young girl ran with remarkable speed. Glen, being pulled along, had to hunch over as he ran, yet he found the experience rather amusing.

Upon entering the magic house, he discovered that it was even more astonishing within. A plethora of peculiar and extraordinary items were on display, leaving one's eyes in a state of bewilderment.

Leaves seemed to navigate through the place in an intricate manner. All Glen perceived was a blur of shifting scenes before his eyes, and then they arrived before an arched door.

A string of magical runes adorned the top of the door, which he was as yet unable to decipher.

He witnessed Leaves wipe the area where the door was presumably locked, after which a handle - like object materialized. She grasped the handle with her tiny hand and gave it a gentle twist.

The door creaked open.

Leaves rushed into the room first, then spun around, spreading her arms wide, and exclaimed to Glen, "Ta - da! What do you think? I meticulously decorated this for you. Isn't it splendid?"

Glen's eyes gradually widened. "This decoration... truly is quite distinctive..."

The sight within the room could only be described as grotesque. Had he not known beforehand, Glen might never have surmised that this was a habitable space.

The floor was paved with dark - green vegetation. A large stone, swathed in strange patterns, was positioned on one side. A snake - like form seemed to coil upon the window, and from the ceiling hung metal chandeliers resembling drooping willow branches.

In addition to these, there were numerous other eccentric pieces of furniture that Glen could scarcely make sense of, causing him to hesitate before entering.

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Leaves furrowed her brow when she noticed Glen lingering outside, seemingly transfixed. "Why aren't you coming in?" she queried.

After a moment's reflection, Glen gingerly stepped into the room.

"Where is my bed?" he probed tentatively.

Leaves pointed at the odd - looking boulder. "That's it," she said.

"How could one possibly sleep on this?" Glen was truly perplexed by the girl's line of thinking and had no intention of acquiescing.

"Why not?" Leaves retorted, clearly disgruntled, and promptly lay down on the stone.

To his surprise, the seemingly impenetrable stone softened instantaneously upon contact with the young girl's body and even bounced slightly.

"This is actually quite comfortable, you know," Leaves remarked.

After a brief silence, Glen sighed and said, "I appreciate your kind gesture, but I believe I'll decorate my abode myself."

Upon hearing this, Leaves leaped to her feet, her eyes welling with tears. "I put so much effort into helping you. How could you do this?!"

Glen fabricated an excuse. "There's an issue with my constitution. I'll fall ill if I come into contact with these things. Do you wish to harm me?"

Leaves was taken aback. Having never heard of such a condition, she said, with a hint of disbelief, "How come I've never heard of a constitution like yours?"

"Because it's rather uncommon," Glen replied with an air of sincerity.

Leaves pouted and persisted, "The bedrooms of my other classmates are all like this. Did you live outdoors rather than in a house before?"

Glen was bewildered by the question and thought to himself:

Mages truly are different. Even their living quarters are so unconventional?

Of course, he only assumed that this was the case for some mages. One couldn't generalize in such matters.

"This is the dwelling of you mages. Naturally, I used to reside in an ordinary person's abode. Surely you've seen what an ordinary person's dwelling looks like?"

Glen regarded Leaves with a gaze that suggested she was unworldly.

Leaves, as if sensing the provocation, puffed out her unremarkable chest. "I... I most certainly know. I was merely testing you. Since you wish to decorate it yourself, then go ahead."

With that, she stormed off in a huff.

In truth, Leaves had no idea what an ordinary person's dwelling looked like. She had been here since she could remember, and the entire world seemed to consist of this small expanse.

The teacher had occasionally intended to take her out to experience the outside world, but she had always declined, without quite knowing why.

Although Leaves had departed, the other classmates gathered around the door, peering in with curiosity, eager to see how Glen would furnish the room.

However, Glen remained motionless, as he was pondering where to obtain normal furniture.

It seemed there was no alternative but to await Daof's appearance and see if he could resolve the issue.

So, Glen exited the room and found a spot to sit outside.

"Why aren't you decorating your room?" asked a young boy clad in an apprentice's robe.

Instead of responding, Glen counter - questioned, "How long does the teacher usually take to come down?"

The young boy, seemingly honest, replied, "I don't know. The teacher comes down whenever he pleases."

Glen was left speechless. Subsequently, he engaged in a desultory conversation with the young classmates around him.

These young ones appeared to be deeply intrigued by the outside world. They listened intently to the numerous mundane matters that Glen recounted.

During the conversation, Glen learned that these apprentices were all orphans adopted by Daof.

Their magical aptitudes varied widely. There was even one who could scarcely be said to possess any talent. Were it not for some method employed by Daof, that individual would not have been able to study magic.

It seems I'm the only non - orphan apprentice that Teacher Daof has taken in... Glen mused to himself.

Leaves, in fact, had not gone far. She concealed herself on the steps above Glen's back, eavesdropping with eyes filled with longing.

Just as Glen was on the verge of yawning from waiting, Daof's voice finally reached them.

"I'm truly sorry, Glen. I was in the midst of an important research task, which is why I've only come down now."

Glen promptly rose to his feet, and together with the other apprentices, called out, "Teacher Daof."

Daof smiled and waved his hand, then, still addressing Glen, inquired, "Have you finished studying the basic knowledge book I gave you? So soon?"

"I'm just a few pages short, so I came ahead of schedule," Glen replied truthfully.

"That's still quite rapid. Ordinarily, with your level of talent, it would typically take around a year. Perhaps it's due to your excellent memory, or perhaps that magic - learning doctor truly knows his craft," Daof stroked his beard as he analyzed.

"It's both," Glen concurred.