I think back then, the era before Herbo was called "despicable" was the period at the end of BC, when ancient Greece turned from prosperity to division.
At that time, Haierbo was just a very ordinary young man... Yes, at least from the outside, he was indeed quite ordinary.
He has three-dimensional facial features that are quite common among Greeks. Because he came from an ordinary background and worked hard every day, his physique can be said to be strong. But before he came into contact with magic culture for the first time, the impression he gave people was basically mediocre.
That's right, even when he is not working on weekdays, he will occasionally have some sneaky and bad thoughts. But in the majestic background of the times at that time, his existence as a common man was as inconspicuous as a firefly.
However, as his ordinary life continued slowly day after day, Haierbo, who had not even thought about his future, finally met the person who changed his life.
That was a wizard, a real wizard who was extremely mysterious but extremely powerful in the eyes of the common people at that time!
Regardless of the fact that that era is called the "Heyday of Ancient Magic" by today's historians, because the magic at that time had extremely stringent requirements for users, there were actually very few people who could truly become wizards.
Not to mention wizards, even those who are accepted as apprentices by wizards are often talented people who are one in a million. And even those wizard apprentices who are extremely talented may not all become wizards.
This shows how rare a true wizard is.
I remember that at that time, Haierbo had finished a long day's work and planned to go to the shabby tavern in the town to get a glass of the cheapest wine to pass the time before going to bed.
In that era, lighting lamps at night was still a very luxurious act for ordinary people. Whenever it gets dark and you can no longer work, and you think about the long night and getting up early, it will still be dark. Looking for a place to spend time that is not expensive but can entertain and relax has become the most acceptable way of "nightlife" for the general public.
But at that time, Haierbo did not expect that that night he unexpectedly discovered a scene where a wizard was recruiting apprentices.
As night fell that day, the local lord accompanied a wizard he had met in the big city in the past and personally presided over the public selection of apprentices. When the young Haierbo saw that there were many families covered in sunset, and the family sent their children and older children to meet the wizards so that they could be carefully selected, he immediately went over to watch the excitement.
To be honest, given his age, he has long been beyond the selection range of wizards. So at the beginning, he didn't think about what benefits he could get. He just squeezed in to see what the wizard he had never seen looked like.
By the way, it would be even better if the wizard could show off his skills!
However, most of the civilians who had the mentality of "watching the bard perform" like him soon fell silent one by one.
They didn't act like this because they saw something extraordinary. On the contrary, the so-called "Master Wizard" looked just like ordinary people.
And the reason why they were all silent without missing a beat was because unknowingly, a sense of awe that came from nowhere arose in everyone's heart.
"Is that... a wizard...?"
Haierpo pursed his lips tightly, his eyes staring at the old man in robes for a moment, and his heart was gradually filled with some kind of fear.
For most of the night, even with his usual cheerful temper, he didn't dare to say anything out loud from beginning to end. After the old wizard left the only square in the town, he walked back home with a slight limp.
For nearly half a month after that, the words kept lingering in Haierbo's mind - "Is that the wizard?"
Half a month later, Haierbo, who was in a semi-conscious state day and night, became haggard. He began to feel annoyed, why hadn't he encountered wizards coming to the town to choose apprentices when he was a child
Even that night, the old wizard still couldn't choose a suitable apprentice until the end, but becoming a wizard became Halbo's only wish later.
It's impossible for him to become a wizard at his age? No, Haierbo didn't want to think about this kind of thing at all. He just hoped that he could get even one step closer to the wizard.
How wonderful it would be to be someone who can make people fear you unconsciously!
Therefore, this simple "ideal" derived from meeting the wizard for the first time became one of the foundations for his first step into the magical world.
More than half a year passed after that, and Haierbo, who had saved some extra travel expenses, finally decisively gave up the ordinary life with no future. He packed up his few belongings and set off on foot to a nearby big city in order to save money.
In that era, wizards and nobles usually had a certain connection, and it was even possible that a certain lord was a wizard himself. And Haierbo found out that the lord of that big city was a real wizard.
In order to beg the other party to accept him as his apprentice, he racked his brains to get close to the other party and proposed his wish in person.
Unfortunately, the expected twists and turns naturally occurred. He was ruthlessly rejected by the city lord and wizard. He was even expelled from the city mercilessly by several knights because he was entangled in front of the city lord.
He spent that night in the wasteland by the roadside. Because I didn't bring any tools to make a fire, I was exposed to the cold wind all night, and my hands and feet were so cold that I lost all feeling.
When he woke up from the cold in the early hours of the morning, he finally met the first teacher in his life - the witch Kern who was dubbed the "Goddess of Death" by many dark wizards around the first year of AD.
Yes, it was the woman that Halbo once mentioned to Maka, the woman who once touched the "rule of death" and was rumored to have stepped into the "border of life and death", but in the end became neither human nor ghost.
But when Haierbo first met her, she was still a talented girl who had just become a wizard.
"woke up?"
It was still dark at that time, and Haierbo, who had just opened his eyes, was startled by the girl squatting next to his head. But then he realized that he couldn't move.
Are you freezing? No, he didn't know, because he did feel very cold. But other than that, the chill coming from the heart seemed a bit familiar.
"Don't be afraid, this is just a very common psychic magic. I just studied it and figured it out, so I can practice it with you."
Kern, who was still a young girl, lowered her head and spoke nonchalantly, patting Helbo on the cheek. Under the dim moonlight, Kern's short black hair swayed with the night wind, looking inexplicably free and easy.
Just at the first glance, she left a very deep impression on Haierbo - this is a girl who doesn't care much about anything or anyone.
And... maybe a wizard too!
"M-Ms. Witch, I—"
"Um?"
Seeing the young man in front of him struggling to make a sound with his trembling lips, Kern glanced at him again and then said:
"What's wrong?"
"... Please... accept me as your apprentice... "
Not scolding, not begging for mercy, not even trying to please - none of the reactions that Kern had seen from ordinary people in the past were shown by the young man in front of him.
Although she could clearly feel that the other party was also fearful and wary, the first thing he said was to plead with her to accept him as her disciple.
"No, I'm not interested in being an extra burden!" Kern waved his hands casually and said, "I'm too lazy to have a child around ten years old, let alone someone of your age - do you think you can do anything for me? do what?"
"I, I don't know..." Haierbo's voice squeezed out of his throat was a little dry, and his speaking speed was very slow, but his tone was extremely firm, "But as long as I can become a wizard... I am willing to do anything. "
Haierbo, who was able to become as famous as he was later, was naturally not a simple person. His persistence in what he wanted began to show from that moment on.
Of course, pretty much all he got after that was a "bad reputation."
"Are you willing to do anything?" After hearing his persistence, Kern couldn't help but shake his head, "Then I want you to die, are you willing too?"
"As long as... I can still live and learn magic, I am willing."
Fear of death is natural, but other details of fear vary from person to person. Just like Haierbo, while he was quite frightened by the words "I want you to die", he also showed the determination in his heart.
"Are you really willing to die?" After hearing this, Kern finally became a little happy, "Well, if what you said is true, if you can get through it from beginning to end and help me complete the magic experiment, then neither will I I can’t have another apprentice like you.”
Using an ordinary person's body to cooperate with a wizard to conduct magic research? Others might not be able to hold on, but Haierbo's eyes were filled with only the desire for the wizard.
"What I said... is true," Haierbo said forcefully, "As long as you don't die, that's fine!"
"Oh, then you should die first!"
The next second, Kern picked up the slender staff at hand and immediately struck at Haierbo. And a moment later, the latter, who had previously been frightened for no reason due to the power of spiritual magic, lost consciousness in the blink of an eye.
Fortunately, this is not a magic that can make people really die - it is impossible for people who are really dead to be resurrected.
However, Haierbo had completely fainted at that time, and it was not easy to wake up again.
When Haierbo woke up at dawn, the girl Kern seemed to have left.