Ernest

Biography

A wandering wizard finds a patron

Ernest is a Rank 9 wizard without a fixed residence or tower when Jonas Faulen befriends and sponsors him. He understands that the baron hopes to secure magical instruction for his son, but accepts the arrangement because Jonas has already supported his work and because taking a talented student benefits both sides. When Leylin Farlier passes his test with extraordinary spiritual force, Ernest formally becomes his guide and remains at the manor. (Chapters 793–794)

He teaches Leylin meditation, contact with the Weave, daily spell preparation, spell slots, and the vulnerability of a wizard who exhausts every prepared spell. Leylin touches the Weave during his first lesson and advances so quickly that Ernest alternates between pride and disbelief. Ernest keeps the boy's progress within the household, supplies a spellbook and protective magical items, and gives Faulen House a legitimate explanation for magical achievements that would otherwise attract dangerous scrutiny. (Chapters 794–816)

Mentor, protector, and student surpassed

Ernest is the strongest known magical defender available to Faulen House during its early conflict with Marquis Louis. When duty takes him away from the island, he leaves Leylin a black ring and scrolls for protection. He also supports Leylin's proposals when the young heir argues that trade revenue must fund soldiers and Professionals, recognizing that his student normally plans before speaking. (Chapters 799–816)

Leylin reaches and exceeds Ernest's Rank 9 with impossible speed. Ernest initially reacts as a teacher measuring a prodigy against conventional Weave progression, unaware that the A.I. Chip and Leylin's main-body knowledge let him analyze far beyond the curriculum. Leylin nevertheless continues to call him Master and preserves the public relationship rather than humiliating the wizard who provided his local foundation. (Chapters 799–816)

The Faulen wizard tower

Materials seized from Marquis Louis's stores make a Faulen wizard tower financially possible. Ernest oversees its construction while Leylin is away, then watches his returning student activate and complete systems beyond Ernest's own capacity. The tower gives him what years as a wandering wizard could not: stable laboratories, a library, defensive formations, and facilities for apprentices. (Chapters 922–926)

Rather than retire into private research, Ernest uses the institution to train a new generation and remains a recognized local authority. Much later, church officials still cite intelligence from Wizard Ernest concerning a concealed demigod cult and refugees moving toward Debanks Island. His lasting achievement is institutional: he turns patronage and Leylin's resources into a continuing arcane presence on Faulen territory. (Chapters 924–926, 1110–1111)

Appearance and personality

Ernest has the distracted, solitary manner of a research wizard and can become irritated when interrupted during experiments. He is proud of arcane status and enjoys impressing a new student, yet takes preparation and magical danger seriously.

He is genuinely protective of Leylin, leaving emergency items and taking concern in the boy's problems even while absorbed in work. His pride suffers when the student advances beyond him, but it does not become resentment. Ernest accepts the reflected prestige and uses the opportunities Leylin creates to teach others.

Magic, bloodline, and abilities

Rank 9 wizard and Weave access

Ernest is a Rank 9 mid-ranked wizard. Wizard rank reflects depth of access to the Weave and the spell levels available through it; he is approaching, but still far from securely attaining, the fifth layer. He teaches that prepared spells occupy limited slots and are forgotten or become inaccessible after use until studied and prepared again. A wizard who expends every slot and lacks scrolls or artifacts can be reduced to ordinary physical defenses. (Chapters 794–801)

Evocation and transmutation

Ernest specializes in evocation and transmutation, two of the eight arcane schools. He demonstrates fine control by shaping a small flame into moving figures, and his instruction covers meditation, spiritual-force control, Weave contact, and spell preparation. Specialization gives depth but imposes breadth limits: Leylin notes that Ernest cannot freely use the other schools, unlike the A.I. Chip-assisted universal model access Leylin later constructs for himself. (Chapters 794–799)

The corpus does not provide a complete list of Ernest's prepared combat spells. His value to Faulen House rests on being a genuine Rank 9 caster and educator, not on an invented signature arsenal. Even so, his rank makes him the family's primary answer to attacks by ordinary Professionals during Leylin's youth. (Chapters 799–815)

Alchemy, spellbooks, and protective items

Ernest understands alchemy and magical-item use and owns a spellbook containing numerous low-ranked models. For conventional wizards the book is an essential external memory because prepared spells must be relearned; Leylin uses it mainly as a research source and cover. Ernest also leaves a black ring and two scrolls to protect his student. These are item-derived safeguards rather than permanent additions to Leylin or Ernest's innate rank. (Chapters 794, 800–801)

Tower construction and apprentice training

Ernest can oversee a wizard tower's construction, formations, library, laboratories, and apprentice facilities when supplied with rare materials and capital. He does not independently fund such a tower and cannot complete every high-level function Leylin later activates. The finished installation amplifies research, defense, and teaching, turning Ernest's personal expertise into a local institution. (Chapters 922–926)

Relationships

• Leylin Farlier: Brilliant apprentice who quickly surpasses Ernest while continuing to support him.
• Jonas: Patron who brings Ernest into Faulen House.

Items

Ernest's central resource is the Faulen wizard tower, including its laboratories, library, defensive formations, and apprentice facilities.