Chapter 32 (2/2)

But 1500 gold coins was still an unacceptable amount of money for Eliard. He couldn’t contain his anger any longer and finally lost his cool. “This is blatant robbery!” he shouted through clenched teeth, his face red.

Vincent shook his head, unmoved. “I’m warning you boy, you’re lucky I’m in a good mood today, so I will let your impudence pass,” he said with a sinister calm. “But if you ever utter such drivel to a Magician who’s not as forgiving as I am, I assure you you’ll pay for it in blood!”

Sensing that Eliard was going to continue arguing with the gatekeeper, Link quickly pulled him back by his arm.

Right now they were nobodies, while on the other hand, the East Cove Higher Magic Academy was the most prestigious magic academy in the Kingdom of Norton. The academy’s dean was also a Level-7 Master Magician. If they lost their temper here, it would achieve nothing, and only leave a bad impression of themselves on the academy and the dean.

Eliard was a commoner and he didn’t have enough money for the tuition fees. Although there might have been some unfair treatment towards commoners on the academy’s part, these were just the facts of life. No amount of shouting and arguing could change anything.

Link became the first ever Archmage in the gaming server back on Earth all because he had full control of his emotions. He never complained nor held grudges against anyone, and he would never get riled up without good reason either. Whenever he was faced with a problem, he would stay calm and collected, and try to solve the issue with reason and logic.

It was indeed this strong character of his that enabled Link to become the first ever Archmage. And for this same reason, when the God of Light dumped him into this strange unfamiliar world, not only was Link able to escape from Gladstone city alive, he was even able to save the city from ruin. And as he was then, his character remained just as strong now.

Link understood that in order to abolish this unfair rule from the East Cove Higher Magic Academy, a few dissenting voices wouldn’t amount to anything. Real change would only come when everyone was forced to notice the absurdity of the rule.

With a slight tug from Link, Eliard slowly came to his senses, but his eyes had already turned red. It wasn’t that he had never experienced society’s unfair treatments before. In fact, under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t lose control over his emotions so easily, but this matter was too close to his heart. He couldn’t just give in. He had fought tooth and nail just to get to this point. He had endured unimaginable pain and many hardships just to earn those 200 gold coins.

To earn the money, he undertook dangerous missions. Because he had no fighting skills, he had to navigate dangerous investigative assignments in which he had only a one in ten chance of surviving.

Apart from those missions, he also did all kinds of businesses, frequently receiving extortion threats from ruffians and rogues. He still managed to save his money though, copper by copper.

Ever since he was ten, except for when he was invited to dine with his friends, he would only have three coarse wheat buns a day, and nothing else. Sometimes, when he felt that he was not getting enough nutrients, he would go to the river in the middle of the night and catch some small fish and shrimp to eat. He could only do this at night because he was too busy working during the day. He wore the same clothing for three years. Even the old horse he rode was not actually his. It was, in fact, a parting gift from a friend.

When he had heard of the East Cove Higher Magic Academy’s prejudice against commoners, he knew he had to obtain a recommendation letter from a noble by any means necessary.

To that end, he swallowed his pride and slept with that fat, ugly duchess for a whole month. He endured this humiliating and demeaning experience every night, casting his dignity aside.

He had suffered through hell, and he had sacrificed everything that mattered all to chase his dream of becoming a Magician, to ensure that his natural talents wouldn’t go to waste, and to prove himself and stand a head above the rest.

But now that he had finally earned enough money, obtained that recommendation letter, and showed up at the door of the academy full of hope, reality had once again dealt another blow to his chest.

Simple words plainly uttered had raised the goal of admission into the academy to unattainable heights. In the end, all of his hard work had amounted to nothing. Should he start over and try to earn more money again?

By the time he earned 1500 gold coins, he would already be over 20 years old. If luck wasn’t on his side, he might just die on his missions before that.

The next few years of his life were critical for magic training. How could he just throw them all away?

At that moment, the enraged, hurt, and hopeless young Eliard looked up at his dream right in front of him, but there was an impenetrable moat obstructing him. His eyes had unknowingly started to redden.

A commoner chasing his own dream—how much more difficult can such a simple task be? Eliard balled up his fists, raised his chin, and forbade himself from showing any tears. He would not make a fool of himself in front of this glorified guard dog.

But Vincent had long seen through him. He shook his head and chuckled while uttering these cold words, “May I suggest a brilliant solution to your woes, boy? Why don’t you just go back to Duchess Alice and serve her well? Who knows, she might end up paying all the fees for you? Hehehe.”

Eliard was so livid he shook. This matter was his biggest shame. Vincent’s words had sliced through him and cut open the terrible scar in his heart.

His face turned scarlet, his heart beat so hard it could jump out of his throat. He clenched his fists tightly, having only one thought in his head—whatever the consequences, he would beat this old man to a pulp.

Just as his rage reached its peak, someone grabbed his arm. He struggled to break free, but the grip on his arm tightened. “Let go of me!” Eliard demanded.

Link’s voice cut through the fog that clouded his judgment. “Eliard, don’t bring yourself to ruin!”

This voice was like a cold splash of water to the face. Eliard’s struggle gradually became weaker and weaker.

Eliard turned his head and came face to face with the young man who was then quietly staring back at him, gently shaking his head. Link’s eyes glimmered softly. His face was ordinary and plain, yet the young man emanated a spirit that could calm a heart at its wildest as if there was nothing in this world that could provoke or disturb him. As calm as a still lake, as piercing as a knife’s blade. This moment, this scene would forever be etched into Eliard’s heart.

Many years from now, whenever he was in a fury, in doubt or in despair, this memory would emerge again and again to remind him how a true Magician should act in the face of this cold, cruel world.