Hogwarts Castle.
In a large, isolated room, an enormous bath pool occupied almost the entire floor space.
The bath was heptagonal, its bottom and surroundings cast in gold, then inscribed with runic symbols and magic circles using mithril.
Mountains of potion ingredients were automatically and orderly added to the bath, while the pool's bottom heated up, continuously stirring clockwise, then counterclockwise.
The entire bath looked like a giant cauldron embedded in the floor.
Finally, barrel after barrel of dragon blood was poured into the bath until all of Kael's fire dragon blood stores were completely exhausted.
With dragon blood added to the bath, a violent reaction occurred. The pool water boiled and churned, radiating scalding temperatures like lava.
Looking at that blood-red scalding liquid, it resembled a blood pool.
This was Kael's "Wizard Transformation Pool" that he had spent half a year building.
Essentially a giant version of an alchemical cauldron, with Kael's blood fusion potion-making process inscribed within, it could automatically create blood fusion potions while stirring and accelerating potion reactions and fusion.
It could also simultaneously accommodate one hundred people entering the pool for blood fusion.
Looking at his achievement, Kael felt very accomplished.
His wizard training plan could finally begin in earnest!
He left the room, summoning Steward Edward.
"My lord, what are your orders?" Edward asked respectfully.
After half a year of diligent magical study, Edward's magical knowledge now rivaled third or fourth-year Hogwarts students. His mastery of charms was reaching intermediate to advanced levels. He could no longer be considered a magical rookie.
Since gaining magic, Edward managed the castle even more effortlessly.
Kael also began confidently entrusting the herb garden, Ashwinder room, and giant spider room to Edward's care.
Like the Mandrake cries in the herb garden, it is quite deadly. People without magic entering the herb garden was very dangerous, so previously it was mainly Kael himself who cared for it.
Now that Steward Edward knew magic, Kael delegated this task to him.
Other previously dangerous tasks for ordinary people were also all reassigned.
He became hands-off himself.
Kael looked at his steward with satisfaction, instructing him. "Now go organize subjects within the territory who are loyal and have excellent performance. Select 500 people and bring them to the castle. I'll give them an opportunity to gain magical abilities."
"Of course, also tell them clearly beforehand about the pain during transformation. Those who cannot endure such pain or lack firm will should not waste the opportunity. They might even die!"
Kael wasn't exaggerating. The transformation process required maintaining conscious will throughout.
But that excruciating agony was enough to make those with weak willpower lose consciousness. In mild cases, becoming mentally impaired, in severe cases, having magic power spiral out of control, and dying from a body explosion.
All three people so far have succeeded because their willpower has been tenacious. Not to mention Steward Edward and Mayor Luke. Just looking at seemingly weakest-willed Bree Mayor Butch, though somewhat greedy and power-hungry, you couldn't deny his strength.
Like when jumping into the cauldron for transformation, his loud screaming voice echoed throughout the entire castle. That vitality was even stronger than Luke, who persisted alongside him.
Hearing Kael's words, Edward was first shocked, then delighted.
The lord was training five hundred more wizards? Thinking that Weathertop would soon have a wizard army wielding wands, Edward felt not urgency but surging excitement.
"Yes, my lord, I will carefully select five hundred most loyal and excellent people!" Edward solemnly promised.
Edward thought he would contact Mayors Luke and Butch immediately, then carefully select candidates. Most importantly, they had to be loyal to the lord. He absolutely couldn't let ill-intentioned people join.
As if reading Edward's thoughts, Kael tossed him a glass-made top.
"This is a Sneakoscope. If suspicious people are nearby, it will light up, spin, and emit whistles. Especially the closer to suspicious people, the brighter and louder it becomes. You can use it to screen personnel for suspicious individuals. I'm giving it to you."
Edward hastily caught the Sneakoscope carefully. After hearing Kael's explanation, his eyes immediately brightened with greater delight.
"Thank you, my lord!" Such a thing that could detect suspicious people was a treasure. The lord just gave it to him. Edward was very pleasantly surprised.
Kael waved his hand. This was just a small alchemical item he had casually made, referencing Legilimency abilities. As long as ill-intentioned people were nearby, once the Sneakoscope caught even a trace of malicious thought, it would sound an alarm.
This was considering the last time Gollum, Nazgûl, Saruman, and others approached the castle. So Kael made a batch of Sneakoscopes, now placed throughout the castle and Weathertop. As long as someone trespassed into the castle, they would trigger the Sneakoscope alarm.
Moreover, giving Edward the Sneakoscope this time was also to prevent disloyal people from mixing into selected personnel.
Subjects of his two cities mostly came from various places in Eriador, seeking shelter and peace. So Kael couldn't guarantee everyone was genuinely loyal and devoted to him.
Selecting people to become wizards, he naturally wanted to pick subjects loyal to himself.
As for those without much loyalty, only wanting to depend on him and seek shelter, as long as they didn't violate the law or commit harmful, betraying acts, Kael wouldn't drive them away.
After all, people vary. He couldn't force everyone to be loyal to him from their hearts.
But likewise, these people were merely ordinary subjects within the territory, and it was impossible to gain opportunities to transform into wizards.
In Hogsmeade and Bree, after receiving Kael's instructions, Edward contacted the Mayors, Luke and Butch, immediately.
Hearing the lord would be training five hundred wizards, both mayors were shocked, and they began organizing candidates immediately.
They both wanted to secure more wizard slots for their respective cities.
So the two began a new round of competition.
This half-year has passed, and both mayors have shed their magical rookie status, becoming novice wizards who know magic.
Especially the rather vain Bree Mayor Butch. Never leaving his wand, always displaying his Kael-crafted twelve and one-quarter inch cedar and dragon heartstring wand.
And he enjoyed publicly demonstrating small magics. After drawing Bree residents' amazed exclamations, he would bask in this attention with satisfaction.
Hogsmeade Mayor Luke appeared more low-key, but likewise treasured his Kael-crafted twelve-inch fir and dragon heartstring wand.
During work breaks, he would hold his wand in his office, practicing charms continuously.
He would also fulfill children's requests, demonstrating magical wonders.
News that both mayors also knew magic spread rapidly when they left the castle and returned to their cities, becoming known to everyone.
Drawing much envy and curiosity.
And as this announcement selecting five hundred wizard slots was posted on both cities' bulletin boards, it caused massive uproar.
Everyone was shocked by this news, and they erupted with immense desire.
After all, no one could refuse such an opportunity to possess magic. All yearned to gain the lord's favor, like the two mayors, who obtained magical abilities.
Everyone actively registered, hoping to gain this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.