Chapter 731: Interviews and Performance

Public Level, Reception Room 102.

Xia Duo held a pen in one hand and paper in the other, sizing up the middle-aged man before him who was slightly reserved and never met his gaze. He had already formed a rough judgment in his mind:

"Aisike, I am going to ask you a few questions next. I hope you will consider them carefully and answer them earnestly, as this will involve arrangements for you moving forward."

"Yes, Lord Xia Duo!"

"Why did you want to learn magic in the first place?" Xia Duo asked the first question.

"This—"

Xia Duo asked earnestly, and Aisike had no choice but to consider it earnestly. For a moment, he seemed to fall into his memories, and it was a long while before he said:

"My Lord, my family was very poor back then and couldn't afford to raise me. I heard that the Tower of Time provided food and lodging, so they sent me here. After staying in the Tower of Time for three years, I gradually grew to like this extraordinary power. Plus, leaving the Tower of Time didn't necessarily mean I could live better, so I stayed here."

This stay had lasted over ten years. Xia Duo mentally added the unspoken part of Aisike's sentence. Judging from the existing data, Aisike was among those low-level Mages who had stayed in the Tower of Time the longest.

If nothing unexpected happened, he would likely spend his remaining years in the Tower of Time, and perhaps he might even become an Intermediate Mage before he died.

This was the life of an ordinary Mage in the Tower of Time.

"How is your family doing now?" Xia Duo asked again.

"The situation at home is much better now. Although my parents have aged, their health is still quite good. My younger brother opened a leather shop; his craft isn't great, but he can make ends meet. My younger sister married a wealthy merchant. I don't like it much, but that was her own choice."

Although Aisike did not say it, Xia Duo knew that if not for Aisike being a low-level Mage, it would have been almost impossible for their family to go from being farmers tilling the land to residents of Savile Town, let alone having a future that could be considered "bright."

"Do you have children?"

"Yes!" Aisike suddenly revealed a shy smile. "My eldest son is already 5 years old, and my youngest son just learned to walk a while ago."

"Do you want your children to learn magic?"

"Of course I do. Magic changed my destiny and changed the destiny of my family. I hope my children can become Archmages!"

At this moment, a beam of light suddenly burst forth in Aisike's eyes—a beam of hope.

"Well said! Then what about yourself?"

Xia Duo turned the topic back to Aisike himself. "Don't you want to become an Archmage yourself?"

"I—I want to as well, but I am me, and I know that I don't have the potential to become an Archmage." Speaking of this, Aisike suddenly looked a bit dejected.

The person before him was a young Arcanist with a bright future, while he was just a mediocre Mage who might not even reach the Intermediate Rank.

However—

Aisike seemed to have suddenly thought of something. "My Lord, is bringing us under the Academic Affairs Office this time meant to train us the way you train those Apprentices?"

"Yes, and no!" Xia Duo deliberately kept him in suspense.

"Ah?!" Aisike opened his mouth wide. Could the hope that had just risen be about to be shattered?

"Apprentices are Apprentices, and you are you, but there will still be training!"

Xia Duo's words made Aisike's eyes light up. "My Lord, is that true?"

"Of course it is true, but I think you should first be concerned about your future work!"

"My Lord, I will agree to any work, as long as you let me have a few opportunities to ask questions every month!" At this moment, Aisike looked exactly like a drowning man, desperately trying to grasp the last straw.

However, his words raised some questions for Xia Duo. "Your previous mentor was Shande, right? Does he not even give you the opportunity to ask questions?"

"This—" When it came to his own mentor, Aisike was still a bit hesitant.

Xia Duo asked again and said, "What you say here, only you and I will know. Shande will never know, and even if he did, I guarantee he won't do anything to you."

"No, Mentor Shande is quite good to me, it's just—how should I put it, the mentor's interest is not in magic. Other than when completing tasks for the Tower of Time, I never see him."

"..."

Xia Duo immediately summoned the Tower Spirit to check the "performance" of the various Intermediate Mages. He didn't know until he checked, and he was shocked once he did.

Mage Shande's performance appeared to be in the middle, hidden among the crowd and completely unremarkable, but a closer check revealed that he only completed the fixed monthly tasks and never accepted any more.

Of course, this was still considered good; some Intermediate Mages were even worse than him, unable to complete the fixed monthly manufacturing tasks and needing to make up for it with other tasks, such as miscellaneous affairs, field work, or donations.

These were the main sources of the Tower of Time (also including Aiboke), and with others at the bottom, Shande dared to act this way. Sure enough, people without desires live freely.

However, Shande was not truly without desires. Xia Duo had a deep impression of Shande; during the Orc War, he had even taught him and other Apprentices how to use Magic Scrolls.

Of course, the main thing was Shande's physique.

Before seeing Shande in person, the Mages he imagined were either dashing, spirited, or quiet and elegant. He had never thought of an alternative Mage with a build like Shande's.

He was about the same height as Xia Duo, but his waistline was more than twice that of Xia Duo's. He was a proper human tank; it was truly a waste to be a Mage.

Additionally, before the new system transition, every Mage in the Tower of Time had their own private courses that Apprentices could choose freely. If Xia Duo remembered correctly, Shande's private course was called "The Art of Cooking."

Interest not in magic? Hmph!

Looking at Aisike again, Xia Duo couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy. Although other low-level Mages were exploited by their mentors, they could actually participate in their mentors' projects and learn quite a bit from them.

This was also the path most Intermediate Mages had to take; once they became mentors themselves, they would just exploit the Apprentices.

As for Aisike, although he wasn't exploited much, his contact with his mentor was probably limited to when he was completing tasks for the Tower of Time.

The fixed manufacturing tasks of the Tower of Time were just some common Magic Items, such as various Magic Scrolls, belts, Amulets, and so on.

Some skilled ones could replace fixed tasks with specially designated tasks, such as Enchanting custom armor, special potions, or exquisitely crafted Magic Items, which allowed them to earn more money.

Shande only completed fixed tasks, so Aisike couldn't learn much of anything.

"I have a rough understanding of your situation. Go back and wait for notification! Call Abulaer in when you go out!"

"Yes!"

After Aisike left, Xia Duo wrote "Has family, older, skilled in manufacturing, tentatively technician class" after Aisike's name on the paper.

Outside the Reception Room, seeing Aisike walk out, the low-level Mages waiting outside almost all surrounded him. "Aisike, what did Lord Xia Duo talk to you about?"

"Nothing much, just asked some simple questions. Abulaer, Lord Xia Duo wants you to go in!"

Aisike would not casually reveal the content he was asked inside. When he saw someone take out Spell Notes and hide in a corner to cram, he couldn't help but shake his head secretly.