William hadn't actually taken a bath in many years.
Dust or dirt simply couldn't cling to him, and he never emitted any sort of odor.
Alice's bathroom was a luxurious paradise, astonishingly spacious. At its center was a massive bathtub over 9 feet long, coated with a smooth, pearl-white glaze. Its design was both modern and elegant.
Beside the tub, a latest model iPad was carefully placed on a stand made of pure gold, shining and reflecting the shimring water surface.
On the opposite wall, a huge 60-inch 4K ultra-high-definition smart screen was mounted in an exquisite fra made of rare wood and mica, perfect for watching high-definition movies or playing virtual reality gas while soaking in the bath.
The entire space was adorned with warm lighting and delicate scented candles, creating a cozy and luxurious atmosphere.
This bathroom was originally Alice's private sanctuary, but Mia, mistaking William for Alice's fiancé, had no hesitation in bringing him here.
William lay comfortably in the foam-filled bathtub, tapping on the iPad next to him, browsing the latest international news, and thought to himself, "Indeed, tis are progressing. Even bathing has beco such a luxurious experience."
The hottest news, naturally, was about the various Soulmancer Guilds starting to select their first batch of apprentices the next day.
This information had been released just half an hour ago.
Students at school would continue their regular classes tomorrow, with officials arriving to test if the students could sense energy.
Non-students could register for testing in relevant communities.
This was only the first round of tests,passing it didn't guarantee that these Guilds would definitely admit the applicants.
William saw so unsettling elents in this developnt.
The reason today's society was so stable, apart from national prosperity, was also due to the fact that ordinary people experienced birth, aging, sickness, and death.
What if everyone beca a Soulmancer?
If that were to happen, the whole world would be in great turmoil.
Soulmancers had longer lifespans, leading to more intense competition for resources. Although a new continent had just appeared, its resources would quickly be completely divided.
And this was under the assumption that Soulmancers were not nurous.
In a few decades, or even a century, resources will inevitably beco scarce again.
Moreover, Soulmancers' high-profile entry into society and the recruitnt of apprentices will disrupt the existing class balance, leading to new social hierarchies.
William glanced through the trending topics. The entertainnt gossip news, which used to capture a lot of attention, seed to have disappeared overnight.
In an era where everyone was entertained, capitalists could use popular celebrities to make money, earning fortunes wave after wave. But now, tis have changed.
People began to focus more on learning how to beco Soulmancers.
Books like "The Bhagavad Gita" and "Pilgrim's Progress" suddenly beca trending searches.
After all, becoming a Soulmancer, which was once just a fantasy for many, had now beco a reality.
Mastering the way to beco a Soulmancer could change one's entire destiny.
Who wouldn't want to rewrite their fate?
Capitalists shifted their focus to how to beco individuals with superpowers. Those celebrities, once adored by millions, suddenly beca the rejects of the era.
Of course, most of these celebrities already lived in luxury houses and drove fancy cars. Even if they couldn't beco Soulmancers, their future lives would still be much better than those of ordinary people.
The real sufferers were the children who had invested all their youth and ti in pursuing their idols and dreams.
Unless they possessed extraordinary talent and capabilities, with the growing social class disparities, their future lives might beco even more challenging.
If the social system does not protect the interests of ordinary people, their status could beco very low in the presence of those with superpowers.
William soaked in the bath for a while, contemplating these issues, which actually didn't have much impact on him.
Regardless of the era or how the world changes, he could accept it.
After bathing, William went to Alice's bedroom and knocked on the door.
"Co in..." Alice, who had been anxiously debating in her bedroom for a long ti, stuttered upon hearing the knock.
Upon entering, William saw Alice suddenly flip out of bed, wearing a thin silk nightgown. She glanced at him, then quickly lowered her head and said, "I'm going to take a bath."
William nodded with a smile as Alice swiftly darted past him, her nervous deanor amusing him.
After entering the room, William settled down at the bedroom's desk and pulled out a copy of "Principles of Quantum chanics" from his spatial storage ring to read.
Science may not be able to conquer magic, but it can still reveal so of the essence of society.
William had to admire the people of this era for their achievents without magical abilities.
They have unraveled many historical truths through science, have landed on the moon without the power of flight, and the advancent of information technology via smartphones and computers is comndable, sothing that hasn't been achieved in tens of thousands of years.
Human history spanning hundreds of thousands of years is just a brief mont for William, but the rapid developnt of the last few centuries is quite astonishing.
Although William hasn't reached the point of venerating science, he finds it intriguing.
After her bath, Alice returned to find William engrossed in his book at the desk. She tiptoed into the room, carefully closed the door, and then climbed quietly into bed, hiding under the covers.
William seed completely absorbed in his reading, not lifting his head once from the mont Alice entered the room.
Alice lay under the covers, her heart still racing, occasionally glancing at the bedside table.
Because that box of condoms was right there.
She was conflicted.
What should she do if William made a move? Reject, accept, or face it calmly?
If it ca down to the first two options, should she use what's in the bedside drawer?
For her age, it does seem a bit too early to have children.
But what if William disliked using such things?
Right!
He might not have used them before.
And if they ended up having children, what would they na a boy? And a girl?
Such thoughts gave her a headache!
At that mont, William suddenly spoke, "Are you asleep?"
"No..." Alice's heart skipped a beat as she replied, "It's still early."
William slowly put down the book in his hands, turned his head towards Alice, and said, "From now on, you'll have to rely on yourself. Even if you're in danger, I won't intervene."
"Uh?" Alice's fleeting ripple of emotion vanished instantly, replaced by a tinge of nervousness as she asked, "Master, are you going sowhere?"
William turned to face Alice and said, "Not really going anywhere. I've signed up for a Soulmaner school, just to check it out."
"I want to go too!" Alice exclaid, unable to miss such an opportunity for learning. William's teachings were too advanced for her, and she knew almost nothing about the basics of Soulmaner theory.
Many fundantal concepts about Soulmaner were still unfamiliar to her.
William pondered and then said, "Hmm, you are currently an honorary instructor at the 13th Bureau, and everyone there thinks you are an extrely powerful Soulmaner. You should maintain that persona."
A glint of mischief flashed in Alice's eyes as she smiled, "That won't stop from signing up! Since they all think I'm a super-strong Soulmaner, they'll probably just think I'm doing it to experience life."
William fell silent.
Alice raised an eyebrow and asked, "Isn't that right?"
Taking a deep breath, William responded, "That's one way to put it! I was just wondering when you beca so clever."
Reviews
All reviews (0)