Chapter 3

Everyone says the Mage Guild headquarters in Dawn City is made of gold.

Even if it's an exaggeration, it's not far off.

When Luosen left his mentor's Azure Manor and came to the Mage Guild not far away, what met his eyes was a magnificent and splendid stone building.

It is one of the three most grandiose buildings in Dawn City, the other two being Dawn Castle of the Dawn Duke and the Great Temple of Saint Weilan of the Natural Church.

This building before him had towering arched roofs, majestic exterior columns, extremely large windows, and the windows were filled with expensive, multicolored glass depicting exquisite epic scrolls.

And the most shocking detail is that the entire building is seamless and shines with a metallic luster.

It is said that after the building's completion, the mages spent a great cost to cast high-level petrification on it, ensuring it has strength comparable to steel.

When Luosen passed through the garden square in front of the Mage Guild's main gate and walked up the steps to the door, he saw two guards in silver armor and white robes standing at the entrance.

These are the white-robed battle mages who guard the guild, also called Scholarly Knights.

From childhood they trained in spell combat skills, they are especially good at fighting, and they form the backbone of the guild's guards.

One of the guards saw Luosen and looked at him indifferently.

"Young man, state your purpose."

Luosen took out his graduation scroll.

"I am the apprentice of High Mage Lady Agneth, I have successfully obtained my graduation certificate, and I have come to the guild to receive the official mage badge."

The guard then pointed to the left corridor: "Go down this corridor to the end, there is a small door; inside is a small room, go in and find Master Anglu."

After saying that, he added vaguely: "Master Anglu's pockets aren't shallow, make more preparations."

Luosen naturally understood what he meant, and his heart stirred slightly.

"Looks like I need to make some preparations ahead of time."

He walked along the wide corridor to the left of the main gate.

Passing the flower beds, he casually picked up a few decorative water-pattern stones.

Soon he reached the door of the small room.

The door was open, and voices could be heard inside.

To avoid being rude, Luosen knocked first: "May I come in?"

A gruff voice came out: "Of course."

Luosen stepped inside and found it to be a hall of over a hundred square meters, with a long table piled with documents; every three or four meters sat a mage, four in total.

Luosen didn't know anyone, so he asked: "I'm looking for Master Anglu."

A mage with graying temples in the corner replied: "Kid, come over here."

Luosen walked over quickly, at the same time glancing at the mage's chest badge, made of pure silver with two outer rings.

This meant he had touched the second magic ring and established a magic conduit with it, making him an intermediate mage.

Inside were five stars, indicating he could cast spells up to a five-star difficulty rating.

Meanwhile, an intermediate mage with some achievement can usually cast spells exceeding ten stars.

So, this spell achievement is quite ordinary, just getting by.

Such mages are often greedy, because their abilities are limited and it's hard to make money from magic, so they rely on their position to profit.

At that moment, the old mage asked: "You're here to receive the official mage badge, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Hand over your graduation certificate, name, family background, and list of mastered spells."

"Then pay 1 Ogre for material fees, 1 Ogre for labor fees, and 1 Ogre for registration fees."

There is certainly some room for bargaining, but Luosen didn't want to argue and complied as instructed.

Seeing Luosen so agreeable, the old mage's tense expression eased considerably.

He carefully examined the documents Luosen handed over, looked and looked, then suddenly laughed.

"Oh~ you're that apprentice Luosen who hasn't graduated in ten years."

Luosen nodded: "Yes, that's me."

"Tsk tsk~ I heard your father is the famous Bird Droppings Baron?"

His voice was a bit loud, instantly drawing everyone's attention in the hall, their eyes showing mocking smiles.

Luosen was used to such slightly mocking questions, so he asked with a straight face: "Master Anglu, does this have anything to do with my business?"

"No relation, haha, I'm just curious."

The old mage laughed happily, lowered his head to glance at the materials a few more times, then asked: "Besides the eight zero-ring spells that an official mage must learn, do you know any other official spells?"

Luosen shook his head: "I haven't learned them yet."

In fact he had learned them, and many, because he had transmigrated to this world for a full ten years, studying diligently every day.

But this does not affect his application for official mage status today, so there's naturally no need to mention it.

But the old mage believed him: "That's right. Even if you wanted to learn, you might not be able to, and you might not have the money to buy spells."

"The highest difficulty of zero-ring spells is only three stars, so I'll rate you at three-star level."

After slowly finishing the paperwork, he finally took out a dark yellow brass badge, but did not hand it to Luosen.

"I forgot to mention, there's also a badge processing fee of 5 Ogres at the end."

This is obviously intentional obstruction, because Luosen knows there is no such thing as a badge processing fee.

But this old man has his reasons for doing so.

Because Luosen is easy to bully.

He has little backing, and it's impossible for him to go to his mentor for help over such a small matter.

Even if he did, it would be useless, because a mentor would surely look down on an apprentice who took ten years to graduate.

But having said that, this old mage also doesn't have much backing; if things blew up, no one would support his illicit income.

So, Luosen, with a pained expression, reached into his pocket, pulled out five golden‑shimmering Ogres, and gently placed them on the table.

"Alright, here you go."

The old wizard's face was full of a triumphant smile; he chuckled as he handed the badge to Luosen.

"Kid, a low‑grade bronze badge of one ring and three stars—this is something you earned after ten years of diligent study, so you must handle it carefully."

Luosen carefully pinned the badge to his chest, then asked, "May I leave now, sir?"

"Of course."

Luosen didn't linger a moment and turned to leave.

Just as he reached the doorway, a furious shout came from the old wizard behind him.

"Kid, you actually dared to deceive me!"

Luosen turned his head and saw Master Angelu's face flushed and his neck thick, staring straight at him, while he held five water‑pattern stones in his hand.

His surrounding colleagues all looked at Angelu with eyes that seemed to be watching a comedy.

Luosen wore a serious expression.

"Sir, how could I have deceived you? Earlier I only said 'here you go', but I didn't say 'here you go, gold coins'; I thought you only liked water‑pattern stones."

The old wizard roared in anger: "You cunning little wizard, how dare you play me!"

He lifted a water‑pattern stone, ready to strike.

Luosen thundered, shouting: "High‑rank wizard Lady Agneth is my mentor, sir!"

The old wizard's hand froze mid‑air.

Extorting a few coins is a minor matter, but harming a person is serious.

He dared not offend that esteemed lady.

Seeing the other party stunned, Luosen knew the matter was settled, and gave the old wizard a slight bow.

"Wish you a pleasant workday, sir."

He turned and left; the moment his foot crossed the threshold, a burst of gloating laughter erupted behind him.

Someone shouted: "Aha, Angelu, you were fooled by the little apprentice's illusion!"

"Angelu, you can't tell water‑pattern stones from gold coins; I think you're truly old."

"Shut up, you bunch of bastards!"

The hall was bustling, but it no longer concerned Luosen.

He paused not for a moment, immediately galloping toward the Dawn Duke's Dawn Castle.

To truly inherit the baronial title, a respectable official position is a prerequisite, but ultimately the duke's approval is required.

The duke is the Supreme Lord of Weilan, so he is not easily met; Luosen did not expect to see him simply by showing up, and first made an appointment.

Dawn Castle stands at the highest point of the aristocratic district; the castle is splendid like a heavenly palace, yet a ring of towering walls surrounds the heaven, completely separating it from the mortal world.

Luosen both introduced his identity and paid the fees, spending a full 5 Ogres, before successfully passing through the gate and handing his petition to the Chief of Administration.

Everything that needed to be done was done; now all that remains is to wait.

"I hope to receive an audience soon, so I can return early to tend to my little island."

The Old Baron's bequeathed island is called White Sturgeon Island; its area is naturally far smaller than Weilan Giant Island, yet the island is not tiny, spanning over eighty kilometers in diameter. Its poverty stems from two reasons: first, its remote location and barren resources; second, the Old Baron lacks managerial skill.

As a modern person who traversed from Earth, Luosen, upon learning he possessed inheritance rights to a large island, has been eagerly anticipating, his mind filled with all sorts of island development plans.

He could have graduated early, but he deliberately delayed many years, one purpose being to prepare for island development.

Then why must he go to the island?

Because since the second year after his crossing, he has foreseen that the world is about to enter a massive period of turmoil; chaos is imminent.

In chaotic times, human lives are worth less than weeds.

Yet White Sturgeon Island lies on the fringe of civilization and is notoriously barren; even if the world descends into a porridge of chaos, it has little to do with White Sturgeon Island.

However, although the island is barren, its bird droppings are the finest fertilizer of the age, capable of greatly boosting crop yields.

What is most valuable in chaotic times?

It must be food!

Therefore, he plans that after returning to the island he will never worry about money and can focus on development.

If no opportunity arises, he'll become a local emperor on the island.

If an opportunity presents itself, he certainly won't be courteous and will immediately seize the chance to achieve great deeds! The waiting period for an audience is lengthy, so he cannot waste it; Luosen stays in the most ordinary guest room, concentrating on cultivating his magical power.

After ten years of dedicated cultivation since his crossing, his magical power has become very profound.

Although possessing profound power alone is far from enough to become a great wizard, no one would complain about having too much power.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

On the morning three days later, he finally received an audience.

Guided by the Chief of Administration, he entered the duke's study.

The study was simply furnished: a large desk and a massive semi‑circular book wall holding at least five thousand volumes.

Books are luxuries, each costing at least 5 Ogres; that book wall alone represents a staggering wealth beyond Luosen's reach.

Behind the desk, the Dawn Duke appeared to be just over thirty, in the prime of his life, with the Adrian family's characteristic emerald eyes and deep golden curls.

When Luosen arrived, he was chatting with someone.

The person he was speaking with was none other than Princess Selena, whom he had seen in the mentor's study a few days earlier.

Selena looked somewhat angry.

She ignored Luosen, giving the duke a cold stare: "Brother~ the promises made earlier, you now renege, and that makes me very disappointed!"

The duke glanced at Luosen, his face impatient, and waved his hand: "Alright, we'll discuss this later!"

But unexpectedly, Selena grew even more furious, pointing at Luosen: "Brother, compared to that foul, rotting flesh, I would rather marry this little lord who digs bird droppings; at least he is a hundred times cleaner than that piece of carrion!"

Luosen was instantly stunned, never expecting to encounter such a thing; his intuition told him staying longer would bring trouble, so he immediately bowed to the duke and hurriedly left the study.

But as he stepped out, he lightly flicked his finger against the corner of the wall.

No one noticed his small gesture.

The duke also flew into a rage, likewise ignoring Luosen's presence, and he roared loudly.

"Sister, it seems Father really spoiled you!"

"If you truly have the courage to go to White Sturgeon Island, then I'm willing to see it through!"

"Don't think I don't dare!"

Selena met him head-on.

"Go on then! Go ahead! I'll act as if I don't have this sister, and if you regret it later, don't expect me to help!"

Having said that, he picked up his pen and, with a swish-swish-swish, finished writing the appointment document naming Luosen as the new baron.

He looked at his sister with a sneer.

"The appointment letter for the Bird Droppings Lord is right here; that godforsaken place brings in less than 200 ogre in annual taxes— not even enough to buy a new magical device!"

"If you still insist on what you just said, I'll now fill in your name as baroness, send you back with him, and have you deal every day with a bunch of sea fishmen."

Selena stared straight at the duke: "Levin, my brother, I ask you one last time— are you determined to make me marry King Dange?"

After saying that, her tone softened slightly, even hiding a hint of pleading.

"Even if you let me marry the old king of Kao, or Levinde's child, or some duke— as long as he's a normal person— for the sake of family duty, I could agree."

"Except for that madman King Dange— no way!"

The duke also let out a breath.

"Sister, I know this puts you in a tough spot, but it's the best solution. I need to ensure the trade stability of Weilan and the Allen Kingdom, especially the grain trade!"

After a pause, the duke explained gently: "The situation on the White Continent is extremely tense; relations between the Natural Alliance and the Radiant Empire have rapidly deteriorated, and war could break out at any moment."

"Grain prices on the continent are soaring; we must guarantee that Weilan Island has ample food supplies."

Selena countered: "Brother, we have plenty of land on Weilan Island— why must we rely on others? Can't we just grow it ourselves?"

The duke gave a wry smile: "Sister, I'd like to, but those counts simply won't listen to me. Out of Weilan's 25 counties, 15 are loyal to the mainland!"

"Those short-sighted counts only want to make money and enjoy themselves— after all, even if grain is scarce, it won't run short over their heads."

Selena fell silent for a full minute, then gritted her teeth and said: "What if I insist on refusing?"

"Then I'll think of another way, and this is your way out!"

The duke patted the appointment document on the table.

Selena gazed at the appointment document for a long time, then whispered softly.

"The envoy from the Allen Kingdom hasn't even delivered the marriage letter yet; clearly there are other ways to ease the crisis— why must you choose this one?"

"Because this is the safest option!"

The duke tapped the appointment document on the table again.

"In the morning light, every flower must strive to bloom— unless she willingly gives up the warmth of the sun."

After a pause, he added: "Although the marriage letter hasn't been formally delivered yet, the news has already spread everywhere. So I must give King Dange some explanation."

Selena's face turned cold, and her whole body exuded an icy aura like polar frost.

"I hate most those shameless oath-breakers."

"Brother, are you really going to go back on the oath you swore to Father?"

The duke rubbed his forehead and sighed: "Ah, our father really did spoil you."

Princess Selena showed no hesitation, saying word by word: "Brother, even if it means death, I will never marry King Dange."

After saying that, she gave a bitter laugh: "Brother, if I died, would you be satisfied then?"

The duke started, his tone easing slightly: "My sister, why must you do this?"

"I admit King Dange has some bad habits, but he is one of the most powerful kings in the Natural Alliance, and his wealth is enough to buy ten Weilan Islands— if you could become his new queen"

He hadn't finished speaking when Selena waved her hand to cut him off.

"That fanatical naturalist is a complete lunatic— from birth to now he's only taken one bath, and the grime you could scrub off him is bigger than a cow pat!"

"He's also a cruel tyrant, with all sorts of torment methods for women; eight or nine out of ten former queens were likely tortured to death by him."

"Rather than marry him and be tortured to death, I'd rather die pure and clean in Dawn City!"

The duke retorted: "Those are baseless rumors; King Dange is an ambitious king."

Yet he hadn't expected Selena to say nothing, turn, and start to walk away.

The duke jumped, knowing full well his sister's temperament— she does what she says.

This departure might not kill her, but she'll surely do many unexpected things, like running away— in short, it'll be troublesome.

Although he doesn't really care whether this sister lives or dies, he doesn't want complications that would prevent him from answering to King Dange.

"Sister, wait a moment!"

"How?"

"Do you want to marry the baron of White Sturgeon Island?"

"No, I was just speaking in anger."

"Hehe, you can't fool me— you've taken a liking to that kid. I also admit he's not bad-looking; how about we make a bet?"

The duke quickly wrote the appointment document, filled in his sister's name in the title slot, and added some extra territory as well.

"In a moment, I'll give this appointment letter to that young baron; if he dares to accept it, you'll go with him to White Sturgeon Island."

"If he doesn't dare, then you'll agree to marry King Dange."

Selena exclaimed in shock: "Brother, you'll get him killed— he has nothing to do with this!"

"I absolutely will not make this bet with you!"

"I, however, insist on betting with you; if you refuse, I guarantee he can't walk out of Dawn Castle alive."

A mischievous smile appeared on the Duke's face.

"Sister, the iron‑like fact will tell you that, since Dan Ge has taken a liking to you, the whole Natural Alliance leaves you with no second way!"

(End of Chapter)