Chapter 46: An Unforgettable Tutorial on Using Scrolls

The morning of the second day was still dedicated to increasing grain production, only today Xia Duo was assigned to sowing and transport tasks; not transporting the harvested wheat to the mill as he did yesterday, but transporting the milled flour to the First Floor Hall of the Mage Tower.

Afterward, several squads of soldiers took over. The moment he saw these soldiers, Xia Duo felt that the Mage Tower seemed to be purposefully training the Apprentices' physical fitness.

Sure enough, the lunch was much more sumptuous than usual. Usually, lunch was just bread, a slice of meat so thin it was translucent, a few lettuce leaves, and a cup of diluted fruit wine.

Yesterday, when the production increase plan had just been implemented, Xia Duo hadn't felt much about the extra bit of meat, but this noon there was a large piece of meat, as well as an apple.

Although Xia Duo studied under the apple tree every day, he hadn't eaten a single apple yet; every time he saw the apples about to ripen, someone would come and pick them off.

He hadn't expected to be allotted an apple now. Combined with the soldiers coming to transport grain earlier, Xia Duo was even more certain that the Mage Tower was purposefully training the Apprentices' physical fitness.

Looking back, it seemed that all Official Apprentices were prioritized for tasks that required moving around and required stamina.

It was just that people from this other world lacked systematic, scientific understanding and summary of physical education; the method they thought of to increase physical fitness was often just constant exploitation and recovery, which completely interrupted Xia Duo's own training plan.

Yet he could not question the Mage Tower's decision; he truly had grievances he could not voice.

When he got up this morning, his whole body was sore, and he almost didn't want to get up. It was only by relying on his tenacious willpower that he struggled to rise. The morning was another round of devastation, and he really worried whether he would be cut down by an Orc, or collapse from the labor in the Mage Tower instead.

……

The afternoon tactics class was still in the No. 12 Spell Practice Room.

This time no soldiers came, but an Official Mage came to teach. Xia Duo did not know him, but from the mouths of other Apprentices, Xia Duo learned that this Intermediate Mage with a Spellcasting Level reaching 7 was named Shande.

Mentioning this, Xia Duo immediately thought of the "Art of Cooking" course he saw when choosing classes. As a person from Earth, as a Chinese person, he had been very disapproving at the time.

Everything couldn't go beyond boiling, frying, or roasting; what could Netherese who were still eating lettuce leaves know about the art of cooking?

Xia Duo very much wanted to teach this Official Mage a lesson, but he dared not, though he did remember the name.

Only today did he match the name to the person.

He felt Mage Shande should be teaching the "Art of Eating" instead—that waistline more than twice as thick as Xia Duo's, those chubby cheeks, it was simply hard to believe that this person was actually an Intermediate Mage.

"Apprentices, today I will instruct you on how to use Magic Scrolls. Remember, you only have one chance. If you cannot learn it in one go, I imagine you might have to work for the Mage Tower for the rest of your lives."

Xia Duo felt a shock in his heart. Looking at that constantly twisting fat face, he wanted to laugh but couldn't.

The use of Magic Scrolls was not a problem for Xia Duo or even the other Official Apprentices; most of them could already craft 0 Ring Magic Scrolls, so using them was even less of a problem.

As for higher-level scrolls, Xia Duo hadn't seen them yet, but considering that Magic Scrolls were also a commodity, there should be a relatively universal method of use.

It just depended on how this Mage Shande explained it.

"Today I will teach the usage methods for four types of scrolls, which are the 1st Circle 【Magic Weapon】, and the 2nd Circle 【Bear's Endurance】, 【Bull's Strength】, and 【Cat's Grace】."

Mage Shande introduced the effects of these spells while taking out four scrolls rolled into the shape of small sticks. "I know some of you can already craft Magic Scrolls, but what you know can only be considered Tricks; these are true Magic."

Next was the main event. Mage Shande explained the usage methods of these Magic Scrolls in detail, and as Xia Duo expected, these scrolls had a universal method of use.

This was an activation method deliberately left by the people who crafted the scrolls. Nowadays, commercial scrolls basically already had a conventional, tacit understanding.

Everyone left the same activation method.

But when it came down to a specific spell, or even the same type of spell scroll made by one crafter, there were still subtle differences. This was also the reason why some people used several scrolls in a row, yet one of them failed to release the Magic.

Besides explaining the universal method, Mage Shande also specifically made subtle adjustments for these four auxiliary spells.

Xia Duo listened very carefully. If nothing went wrong, their task during the Orc Tide would be to be responsible for releasing these four auxiliary spells. It wasn't considered very difficult, but it was very critical.

The state of the Apprentice directly affected the combat state of the entire squad.

"Ba En, come out."

Two "Yes" sounds immediately came from among the Apprentices. Mage Shande frowned, "The red-haired one, Ba En, come out."

"Yes."

Xia Duo looked toward the sound. This Apprentice with dark red hair went to the front somewhat nervously; it looked like he was going to do a demonstration. This made Xia Duo think of Dien; this brother also had red hair, and an even more eye-catching fire-red at that.

It was just that Dien was not in the No. 12 Spell Practice Room.

The first person to go demonstrate would definitely be at a disadvantage, especially since Mage Shande had specifically emphasized earlier that everyone only had one chance.

While paying attention to Apprentice Ba En's demonstration, Xia Duo recalled Mage Shande's previous explanation, pondering it back and forth.

Meanwhile, Ba En's first auxiliary spell was successfully activated. In a focused state, Xia Duo saw that the one-handed sword in Mage Shande's hand had already become entangled with the Magic Net, releasing a "dazzling" Magic Aura.

The first scroll being activated successfully seemed to make Ba En heave a sigh of relief, but the 【Bear's Endurance】 that followed immediately failed to activate. The scroll he held in his hand instantly lost all Magic Aura, turning into a piece of ordinary Parchment.

Xia Duo also felt a bit uneasy; just like that, at least one or two hundred Gold Coins were gone.

Mage Shande did not blame Ba En, but instead smilingly handed Ba En another 【Bear's Endurance】 scroll. "Continue!"

Xia Duo noticed that the hand with which Ba En took the scroll was trembling. Even as an Official Apprentice, capable of earning money, one or two hundred Gold Coins was not a small sum, not to mention that while they earned more, their expenses were even higher.

The front continued, but the Mage Tower's goal was to let the Apprentices learn how to use Magic Scrolls, not to swindle people. Mage Shande pointed out the reason why Ba En had failed before he activated the second 【Bear's Endurance】.

Just like that, Ba En activated the four types of auxiliary spells in turn. He believed that Ba En would definitely find this learning experience unforgettable.

Next, Shande picked people one by one to come forward and demonstrate, and Xia Duo was among them.

Having had so many people demonstrate before him, basically all the mistakes a novice might make had appeared once. Xia Duo benefited greatly and succeeded directly on the first try.

Besides Official Apprentices, some Ordinary Apprentices also got the opportunity to demonstrate, and Xia Duo also immediately realized that the list of Apprentices for the expedition must have already been finalized.

There was not much time left for him.