Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 104: Invitation

“Huh? You’re a senior initiate?” The gray-robed old man could not help but express his curiosity.

In the Magus World, spellcasters were collectively referred to as “mages” among ordinary humans.

Due to their lack of magical insight, distinguishing between magic initiates and full-fledged mages proved impossible for them.

The clear distinction between initiates and full-fledged mages was an internal matter within the mage community.

Frank, the elderly mage, was an intermediate magic initiate who served as the magic advisor to the city lord of Berthold City.

To the ignorant ones, he was a mysterious and powerful figure.

Although he was only an intermediate initiate in reality, the friendly demeanor he exhibited earned him the respectful title of “master” by both nobles and commoners.

In the Black Magic Academy of Mystralora City, anyone who was still an intermediate initiate at Frank’s age would likely have met their demise long ago.

Sein did not take offense at the old man’s somewhat blunt inquiry.

He simply nodded and replied, “Yes, I’ve just recently been promoted to a senior initiate.”

Sein’s response deepened the envy and surprise on the gray-robed old man’s face.

The old man then sighed and remarked, “To become a senior initiate at such a young age, you must either hail from a prestigious magic family or have a knowledgeable and powerful mentor.”

This time, Sein did not offer an immediate response to the old man’s question.

After a long pause, Sein finally nodded and said, “Yes, my mentor is indeed very knowledgeable.”

“In that case, your mentor must be a formidable full-fledged mage, right?” the gray-robed old man continued asking.

The old man’s questions were becoming overly intrusive, causing a flicker of coldness across Sein’s face as his patience waned.

Although the old man might lack innate magical talent, his eyes were sharp, finely honed over the years, particularly in his role as a magic advisor in the city lord’s mansion.

Upon noticing the unimpressed look on Sein’s face, the old man chuckled and refrained from further probing.

After a brief silence, Sein took the initiative to engage with the gray-robed old man once again.

“What magic did you use to communicate with me just now?” he asked.

“It’s a Voice Transmission spell. Why do you ask?” the old man gave him a strange look and asked.

“I find it intriguing. How about we discuss trade?” Sein proposed.

Sein had not encountered anyone using a Voice Transmission spell during his time at the Black Magic Academy.

The harsh conditions of the Underworld led most initiates to prioritize offensive spells over functional spells.

Sein himself had only chosen to pick up a few practical functional magic spells like “Brilliance” and “Cleanse” upon becoming an intermediate initiate.

Although his mentor had left him numerous magic tomes, the contents were mostly intermediate or destructive advanced magic spells.

None of them taught basic magic spells or tricks.

The Voice Transmission spell in question appealed to Sein, prompting him to propose a trade with the gray-robed old man.

This proposal also served to gauge the prevailing pricing dynamics among the spellcasters in the surface world.

To avoid attracting undue attention, Sein refrained from presenting energy crystals above Grade One. Instead, he offered non-graded ones like basic, intermediate, and advanced energy crystals or magic beast crystal cores.

As a senior initiate, maintaining a low profile rather than flaunting wealth allowed Sein to easily avoid unnecessary attention.

Sein’s expressed desire to learn the Voice Transmission spell left the gray-robed old man utterly astonished.

Voice Transmission could be likened to one of the first magic tricks many initiates practiced when introduced to magic, akin to spells like Brilliance and Cleanse.

The gray-robed old man speculated that Sein might have recently exited from the faction of a particularly powerful master, explaining his unfamiliarity with simple tricks like the Voice Transmission.

It made perfect sense as Sein must have devoted the past two decades to immersive and diligent magic study, rigorously practicing the lessons imparted by his mentor to reach the status of a senior initiate at such a young age.

For the gray-robed old man, Frank, such an initiate was enviable.

It implied that Sein was not lacking in resources, possessed advanced knowledge, and enjoyed the guidance of a professional and knowledgeable mentor—a stark contrast to “stray mages” like Frank.

Frank had to pay a substantial fee for his mentor’s guidance, only to barely scratch the surface of magical truths before being dismissed.

They not only stumbled blindly in their quest to explore the truth of magic but also struggled to secure the funds necessary for experimentation and research.

The required funds were financial burdens too hefty for even most nobles to bear.

If that was not the case, Frank would not have found himself here in Berthold City, serving as the city lord’s advisor.

His presence here was solely for the city lord’s money.

Frank’s mentor was only a Quasi Mage.

He had only accepted apprentices like Frank primarily for the substantial tuition fees they were willing to pay, as part of upholding the principle of equivalent exchange.

Sometimes, the act of accepting an apprentice as a mentor was merely a transaction.

Nevertheless, such a price was certainly more favorable than the conditions in the Black Magic Academy in the Underworld.

In the Black Magic Academy, some apprentices had to pay the ultimate price to study in the faction of a certain full-fledged black mage—their lives.

Frank was about to agree to Sein’s proposal, but a shrewd suspicion held him back.

Considering that Sein might come from a prestigious magic family or a prominent faction, the old man speculated that the young mage likely possessed valuable items.

The old man cunningly responded, “Certainly, we can make a trade. In five days, there’ll be a small trade fair organized by magic initiates outside of Berthold City. Would you be interested in attending?”

“We can finalize our transaction at the fair, with other magic initiates serving as witnesses. That way, we can ensure that it’ll be a fair trade,” the old man added, looking at Sein with keen interest.

“Five days? That seems a little too long...” Sein remarked, expressing a hint of impatience.

“Four days then! Just four days! I have their contact information in my crystal ball. Organizing the fair a day or two earlier won’t be an issue. We’re all old friends, and magic initiates from cities near Berthold City are known for their honesty and fairness,” the gray-robed old man reassured, patting his chest.

Sein finally nodded and agreed, “All right, I’ll wait here for four days.”

The old man then offered an invitation. “Would you like to rest at the city lord’s mansion? Baron Berthold would surely welcome a young and knowledgeable mage like you to Berthold City.”

Sein cast a glance at the city lord’s mansion, then shook his head and prudently declined, “No need. I’ve already secured a room at an inn in the city.”