Free Web NovelChapter 16: Chapter 16: Trading Post
"But this situation also led to some negative side effects... Because the commission taken by the guild’s quest board is too high, only quests for Mages in absolute need are posted here."
"And the Level of these quests is usually quite high. A Magic Apprentice is completely useless for them, and even a Junior Mage would have few opportunities to be of use."
"To alleviate the plight of low-ranking Mages being unable to earn money, the Mage’s Guild introduced a subsidy policy. It stipulated that you could collect a certain amount of money each month based on your Mage Level."
"’The Mage’s Guild’s history is certainly full of twists and turns...’ Zelir couldn’t help but remark."
’No wonder someone at the Adventurer’s Association found it novel for a Mage to be taking quests.’
As they talked, the two arrived at the trading hall.
It turned out that even in a grand, high-class place like the Mage’s Guild, the moment money got involved, the atmosphere grew feverish.
Long display cases lined the trading hall, exhibiting all sorts of wares.
There were multicolored Magic Crystals, strange air-dried plants, energy-radiating Demon Cores, Magic Potions with unique effects, and all kinds of ancient tomes.
People in Magic Robes bustled around the counters, exuding the calculating air of street merchants. The clamor of haggling and the CLINK-CLANK of coins were incessant.
’Copper Coins?’
You could hardly see any here.
The minimum denomination was Silver Coins.
Zelir’s gaze swept across the room, and he spotted numerous transactions easily reaching tens of Gold Coins.
’You really can’t be a Mage if you’re broke.’ frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
"From the most basic Blank Sheepskin Scrolls to Upper Level Magic Scrolls, plus Crystal Stones that can rapidly replenish Magic Power, and all kinds of rare materials."
Bev’s tone held a hint of pride. "As long as you have the money, you can buy anything a Mage could possibly need here."
Bev wasn’t exaggerating. Just a single glance across the counters was enough to dazzle Zelir, and the sheer spectacle of it all rooted him to the spot.
’This is all treasure...’
"All right, let’s not waste any more time here."
Bev tugged on Zelir’s sleeve. "We have business to attend to. You’ll have plenty of time to browse later. There are lots of Magic Wand shops, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed on your first visit. But I know a good one. Follow me."
Following Bev’s lead, Zelir reluctantly made his way through the crowd.
The pair reached the far end of the hall, where several small doors of differing styles stood. Bev pushed open one of them—a glowing mahogany door.
The moment they stepped into the shop, the clamor from outside was cut off by an invisible Force Field.
The atmosphere became peaceful and serene, the only sound being the crisp chime of a wind bell hanging by the door.
The shop was smaller than he had imagined. There were no shelves, only two rows of vertical racks upon which dozens of uniquely shaped Magic Wands were quietly displayed.
Farther inside, an old, white-haired woman sat behind a counter.
Her expression was kindly, and she lacked the eager enthusiasm of a salesperson, merely making a gesture that said, ’Please, look around.’"
"Feel free to choose for yourself. The prices are marked below."
Choosing a Magic Wand doesn’t require much talk, anyway.
No matter how poetically Manager Ren might describe a wand, it was no substitute for trying it yourself. The right fit was always the best.
A Magic Wand is composed of three main parts: the Base Material, Accessories, and the Wand Core.
The Base Material affects how smoothly Magic Power flows through the wand.
The Wand Core, in turn, determines the type of Magic it can amplify.
For example, a Magic Wand with a Flame Lizard Demon Core as its Wand Core can greatly enhance Fire Magic.
A Magic Wand with the special Ore known as "Heart of the Earth" as its Wand Core can enhance Earth Magic.
The Accessories are mostly Demon-guiding Metals, such as secret silver or refined gold, which help to better integrate the Wand Core with the Base Material.
Zelir paced before the vertical racks, growing more alarmed the more he looked.
These displayed Magic Wands... not a single one was priced below a three-digit figure!
He even saw a Magic Wand with a Base Material of Old Oak and a Wand Core of Natural Crystal, priced at an astonishing Six Hundred Gold Coins!
HISS...
Zelir instinctively took a step back, terrified that if he accidentally bumped into it and broke it, he wouldn’t be able to pay for it even if he sold himself by the pound.
"What’s your budget?" Bev asked in a low voice.
"Three Gold Coins... three gold coins and fifty silver coins, at most," Zelir said through gritted teeth.
After receiving the Mage subsidy, Zelir only had a total of four gold coins and three silver coins on him. He still needed to save some for daily expenses.
’Bro, why is your budget so weirdly specific?’
Bev shot Zelir an astonished look.
’How dare you come browse a Magic Wand Shop with that little money in your pocket?’
"In that case, let’s not look at finished Magic Wands. Just go pick out a Base Material."
Bev offered her advice decisively. "A Base Material certainly isn’t as effective as a finished Magic Wand, but it has the advantage of being cheap, and it still provides some amplification for your Magic... In any case, it’s better than being empty-handed."
And so, the two of them ambled over to a remote corner of the shop.
A large number of Base Materials were piled here. They were all roughly processed items that had yet to be fitted with Accessories or a Wand Core.
Although the prices were still expensive, at least Zelir could afford to be choosy here.
After looking over the options, he finally settled on a White Wax Wood Base Material—price: Three Gold Coins.
The White Wax Wood Base Material had no special properties, offering only the most Basic amplification of Magic Power and a slight increase to Casting Speed. It was the definition of entry-level equipment for a new Mage.
But as Bev had said—it was better than nothing.
After paying for the Base Material, Zelir’s heart ached with pain.
’So expensive...’
His gaze inadvertently swept over the deep red Magic Wand at Bev’s waist.
’That texture, that luster...’
’That has to cost at least a few hundred Gold Coins, right?’
’No wonder Mages get targeted so easily on quests...’ Zelir muttered to himself.
After buying the Base Material, the two of them left the trading hall.
On their way out, however, Zelir’s attention was caught by a thunderous BOOM.
He followed the sound with his eyes and saw a massive, circular stone building that resembled a Beast Fighting Arena from Ancient Rome.
"What’s that place?" Zelir stopped in his tracks.
"Oh... that’s the Martial Arts Arena."
Bev, on the other hand, seemed accustomed to the noise.
"It’s a place within the guild for Magic duels. Occasionally, members preparing to be promoted to Junior Mage will also undergo their assessment there."
’Magic duels...’
Hearing those words, Zelir immediately grew excited.
’It wasn’t that he wanted to join in himself, but that he could leech some more free Magic.’
"I want to go see!" Zelir blurted out.
"What’s with all the excitement..."
Seeing Zelir’s eager expression, Bev couldn’t help but chuckle.
"Follow me. Judging by the noise, it’s probably pretty lively today."
The two followed a spiral staircase up to a viewing platform. From that height, they had an unobstructed view of the Martial Arts Arena.
It was an enormous arena, over fifty meters in diameter, with its floor and surrounding walls all forged from hard granite.
