13 Viscount Gugger’s Invitation Part 2 (1/2)

Saleen had no idea he was being described as the sh*t of a powerful mage. He was prepared to accept the invitation from Lord Viscount, but was worried about his outfit. Where could he get a mage's robe?

He lay on his bed, tossing around. A token of five to six thousand gold coins in appreciation. Five to six thousand gold coins!

Three years ago, when Jason appeared in front of Saleen, Saleen was about to starve to death. Besides the huge stone house itself, he had exchanged all the furniture and furnishings for food. However, no one would buy the house. The interested buyers understood the principle that the house would be even cheaper if Saleen starved to death.

After joining Jason, Saleen used all his time to improve his strength. When he discovered that the badge could increase his power, he even suppressed the fear of pain within his heart to torture his senses each and every day, only for the slight increase in strength it offered. His suffering was in hope of the success of the magic chord medicine.

Saleen had no idea why it had to be so tough. He only knew that once he became a qualified mage, he would no longer need to live the life he'd had before. No one understood the fear an orphan had. When Saleen had accumulated his first gold coin, he immediately bought fifty pieces of bread weighing five hundred grams each and hid them under his bed.

That night, Saleen slept soundly for the first time, feeling blessed.

The bread had turned moldy later. Saleen began to understand that bread could not be amassed, and even gold coins could potentially be grabbed by others. Only when he became a mage would he not need to seek approval from anyone. Even the Lord would equally need to show him due respect.

Saleen could not reject this offer of five thousand gold coins. Five thousand gold coins represented five sets of materials for the magic chord medicine. Based on his current method, it would take him at least two years to earn these five thousand gold coins. Decca had tried his best, and Saleen really had no better way. Taking the money to start a business? That required time. Saleen did not have time for such secular matters; he had placed all his energy into magic and acquiring knowledge.

The problem was, what did Viscount Gugger have in mind for him to do? Saleen was not confident. No matter how clever he was, he was ultimately a youth who did not know the power games of the nobility. Surely, Saleen could not let his teacher know about this, so he felt apprehensive.

He forced himself to stop pondering, dragged the box out from under the bed, and retrieved his family badge.

The magic elements in his body were instantly exhausted, the debuffs flooding in. Saleen was already used to it, and treated his body as though it were not his own. He recalled the magic books and magic notes that he had read previously, steadily enriching his own knowledge on magic. Initially, he had lost control of his body for as long as twenty-four hours, but now he only needed six hours to recover.

Saleen used these six hours to conduct his learning. Reading magic was like ”forced memorization”, but did not include the understanding of the words' meanings. As though ruminating, Saleen searched through what he had been forced to commit to memory and pondered them continuously. He did not notice that a tinge of blue had flashed across the lightning-shaped mark on the badge in his hand. This tinge of blue was remarkably dark, and was completely different from what he had seen the first time.

”He left the money behind, and left?” Viscount Gugger and Ulysses were having an in-depth conversation in the Lord's house.

”Yes, he did not bat his eyes even once, and had only one expression from start to finish.”

Viscount Gugger paused to think, and then said, ”You did quite well. Wait for him at the city gate next week, and do not alarm the mage.”

”Yes. But, what time should I go?” Ulysses asked this question specifically, not wanting to make any mistakes.

”Idiot, go and wait at dawn.” Viscount Gugger was obviously in good spirits, smiling as he lamented without anger.

Ulysses retreated unwillingly. To wait for the apprentice early in the morning, when he had always entered the city in the afternoon? He, an elementary swordmaster, having to wait for a mere mage's apprentice!

Feeling satisfied, Viscount Gugger stretched his body. Although it was unexpected that Saleen had not taken the money, because he was willing to come over for a discussion, there was hope. Now he felt that his marriage to Narsha had been a very wise decision. If not for his father-in-law's support, where would he have found the money to make this possible?

Without money, there would be no way to feed those good-for-nothings at the Presbyterian Council, not to mention to entice this little apprentice. As long as he restored the nobility ranking of his family, this sum of money would be returned..

One week passed quickly. Ulysses, along with Chris, had gone to the city gate early in the morning to wait for Saleen patiently. The weather was getting colder. The two of them put on the leather robes that Viscount Gugger had supplied, and stood at the entrance of the city gate, feeling a little silly. The soldiers on guard at the city gate collecting taxes had offered them the resting house as a bid to please them, but ended up being reprimanded by Chris.

If they missed Saleen, they would definitely be reprimanded when they returned. They would rather stand there in the cold as a form of practice. The Ceylon City walls were very high, being almost ten meters. The city gate was wide enough to allow four horse carriages to move through side by side. Despite the decline of the city, there were still remnants of its former buzz.

It had been many years since the Myers Mainland had been at war with the four big empires. Ceylon City had been peaceful for such a long time that the trees outside the city had not been cleared. Both sides of the wide official road were full of tall and low scattered trees and shrubs. Over the years, the ruts on the slate had become messier over time, having not been repaired or polished by anyone.

Saleen appeared on this old official road. He was still carrying the huge leather sack on his back, with nary a change to his outfit.

Ulysses heaved a sigh of relief. It would have been boring and torturous to have to wait until the afternoon. At the same time, he felt relieved that he had heeded Lord Viscount's instructions to wait here in the morning.

”Mage Saleen!” Ulysses went up to him quickly.