At first, it was just children throwing stones to break windows, hurling insults at Fang Zhiyi and calling him a "monster."
He didn’t fight back or say anything, and gradually, people grew bolder. Soon, whenever he stepped outside, he’d be pelted with rotten eggs or rocks.
Fang Zhiyi had no choice but to stay hidden in his home.
But there was still good news. One day, his door was knocked on again, and standing there was a girl dressed in dull, dusty clothes.
Staring at those familiar features, Fang Zhiyi felt a momentary daze. "Lily?"
Lily grinned and pulled out a piece of black bread hidden in her clothes. "I knew you’d come back, so I came back too."
Fang Zhiyi then learned that Lily’s father, the deserter, had picked up his weapon when the orcs invaded, charging into battle as one of the first warriors—but he never returned.
Lily’s mother had fled with her, but their luck ran out. Her mother died at the hands of bandits, and Lily spent her days hiding and wandering until she heard the capital had repelled the orcs. Only then did she decide to return.
Fang Zhiyi warned her to stay away from him, but Lily shook her head, unafraid. Seeing the weariness in her eyes—far beyond her years—Fang Zhiyi could guess what she had endured.
But as rumors spread, more and more angry townsfolk began attacking Fang Zhiyi’s home.
Then, one night, a child went missing. The mob, convinced Fang Zhiyi had kidnapped the child to brew dark potions, stormed his house. They dragged out the weakened man, beating and cursing him before piling up firewood beneath his feet. As the flames rose, they laughed cruelly.
A clear voice suddenly rang out. "Found him!"
Lily stumbled through the crowd, pulling along the missing child. She had searched desperately, but it was too late. No one cared about the truth—except the child’s parents, the mob only wanted to rid themselves of the "freak."
In the crowd, Fang Zhiyi spotted a familiar pair of eyes—Rhein.
Everything became clear. Resigned to death, he smiled faintly as he watched Lily struggle against those holding her back. But just as his life was about to end, someone shouted, "That girl is the freak’s apprentice!" He watched in horror as hands reached for Lily.
"No!"
The next morning, the sun rose as usual. In front of Fang Zhiyi’s ruined shack, an old man laid down two charred corpses before dragging them into the woods and burying them in a shallow, unmarked grave.
The kingdom flourished under the rule of Queen Vivian and Knight Rhein.
"Host?" Little Hei waved a hand in front of Fang Zhiyi’s face.
Fang Zhiyi snapped out of his thoughts. "Tch, no good. The logic of this magic is completely different from what I’ve learned before."
Little Hei reassured him, "Don’t worry, Host. I believe in you. You’re a genius."
Fang Zhiyi chuckled. "Genius? I’m just an ordinary guy. The only thing I’ve got over others is experience."
Right now, he sat in his dorm at the magic academy, sensing the flow of magic within him.
Unfortunately, while he struggled with other schools of magic, necromancy came as naturally as breathing.
"Host, ready to start?" Little Hei rubbed his hands eagerly.
"Huh? Start what?" Fang Zhiyi blinked.
"Teach these guys a lesson!"
Fang Zhiyi waved him off. "Are you crazy? The original host nearly died summoning a large-scale undead army. I’m not looking to end up like that."
"Then…"
Fang Zhiyi smirked. "Don’t worry. ‘Store grain, build high walls, and claim the throne slowly.’" With that, he pulled out a worn notebook and the skeletal pendant left by his teacher.
Rhein found it odd. Fang Zhiyi, who usually lurked around Vivian, was nowhere to be seen today. Even Vivian seemed surprised. She had always despised the useless fool—only tolerating him before because of his parents’ high status. But now that they were gone, and he remained a talentless waste, she saw no reason to spare him any courtesy.
At that moment, Vivian’s gaze grew distant. After a few seconds, she lowered her head.
"Something wrong?" Rhein asked, thinking she might be unwell.
Instead, Vivian took two steps back, glaring at him with hostility.
That regression magic the teacher taught really worked! Though it required many sacrifices, she had done it!
Vivian stared at Rhein’s clueless face, hatred boiling inside her. This was the man who, after marrying her, had conspired with his father to strip her of power, seizing control of the kingdom. They had even imprisoned her like a plaything.
Seeing Vivian’s clenched fists, Rhein felt uneasy. In his memory, she had always been gentle and kind. Had someone upset her? That didn’t make sense.
Two seconds later, Vivian forced a smile. "It’s nothing. Just a bit dizzy. Let’s go." She had already formed a new plan—this time, she would eliminate this fool and his father together.
"Host, there’s an unusual energy fluctuation," Little Hei reported.
Fang Zhiyi was speed-reading the tattered notebook, not looking up. "What is it?"
"Feels like someone was reborn, but not quite."
Fang Zhiyi turned. "What are you even saying?"
Little Hei poked his fingers together. "I can’t explain it. Something feels different, but I didn’t detect any rebirth signals."
"You can sense world changes now?" Fang Zhiyi’s eyes lit up.
Little Hei scratched his head in confusion—a gesture he’d picked up from others.
That afternoon, Fang Zhiyi was uncharacteristically late for Practical Magic class. The elderly professor frowned. This student had always been weak in magic—only admitted out of respect for his late parents. Had he finally given up?
Some students glanced at him, but today, Fang Zhiyi didn’t seem timid. Instead, he strolled to the back row with a faint smirk, sitting down without even announcing himself. The professor was displeased.
Yet Fang Zhiyi listened intently. This was invaluable new knowledge for him.
"Defensive magic is essential for survival," the professor concluded. "Every school has its own methods of protection, shielding a mage from physical attacks." He adjusted his glasses. "Now, we’ll select students for practical demonstrations." Stepping down from the podium, he activated the defensive barrier to prevent accidents.