Chapter 41: Chapter 37: Missing Person Notice

The newcomer was an elegant young woman dressed in a purple robe. She wore a wide-brimmed hat that obscured her face, but her stunning figure alone was enough to turn heads.

However, what truly sent the Adventurers into an uproar was the silver insignia on her chest, which proclaimed her identity as a Mage.

Of the many Professions on the Continent, Warriors, Assassins, and Rangers were the most widespread and common. Next were Knights; being defensively oriented with weaker solo combat abilities, they were somewhat less numerous than the first three. But on the whole, these four Professions were the choice for the vast majority of ordinary people, accounting for over 95% of the total!

The remaining 5% consisted of Priests, Mages, and Alchemists.

Priests, who possessed powerful healing and buffing abilities; Mages, who could command the elements and move mountains and seas with a wave of their hand; and Alchemists, the most expensive to train but also the most lucrative, who could concoct all sorts of wondrous potions and items.

These three Professions were exceptionally rare and powerful, and were thus known as the "noble" Professions. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

And for Adventurers who frequently ventured out on expeditions, Mages were the most revered of them all.

Most Priests held positions within the Church. And while the Potions and various items crafted by Alchemists were powerful, their personal combat abilities were rather poor, so they rarely ventured out.

Only Mages, who possessed immense destructive power, were likely candidates for teammates.

Who wouldn’t want to team up with a Mage?

If an Adventurer Squad had a Mage, they would be the absolute core. In any situation, the team only needed to protect them, and the Mage could solve over 90% of all problems.

Even taking on challenges far above their level wouldn’t be out of the question!

The tales of Minstrels were full of stories about wise Mages defeating powerful enemies with the support of their teammates.

So, it was easy to imagine how alluring the appearance of a Mage in the Adventurer’s Association was.

Even if a naked beauty were standing beside them, people’s gazes would still lock onto the Mage without hesitation.

Not to mention, this Mage was quite "impressive" in her own right.

"Lady Mage, are you in need of teammates?"

"Beautiful lady, might I have the honor of inviting you to dinner?"

"Mage, take me with you! I can’t stand this miserable life of hacking away at Goblins anymore..."

Some were direct and earnest, some were boors pretending to be gentlemen, and others just took the opportunity to act like fools. For a moment, the entire Association hall was filled with all sorts of bizarre shouts.

After finally managing to tear his gaze away from those peaks, the first thing Lin Mo thought of was the Mage Scroll hidden in his breast pocket.

’A real Mage would surely be able to read that scroll, right?’

’If I could get some guidance from her...’

Lin Mo shook his head, quickly casting the thought aside.

The Magic Scroll he held was shrouded in mystery. ’It’s too weird for something so valuable to turn up in a Goblin Nest on the outskirts of the Loran Forest.’

’Besides, I know nothing about this Mage. Taking it out so rashly would likely do more harm than good.’

While Lin Mo was lost in thought, the young Mage waved her hand, declining the Adventurers’ enthusiastic invitations and walking straight toward the counter.

By the time Lin Mo snapped out of it, a fragrant scent had already wafted over him, and those towering peaks were less than half a meter away.

’In a situation like this, who could resist taking a peek?’

Lin Mo subconsciously took a glance. When he looked up, he was met with a pair of smiling, orange-red eyes.

He gave an awkward smile and looked away. She didn’t seem to mind, turning instead to Lena behind the counter.

"Hello, I’d like to post a quest."

"Of course, please tell me!"

Lena was clearly nervous, her body tense and her words coming out in a slight stutter.

After all, this was a Lady Mage! Even Ordinary Adventurers were barely willing to speak with her, to say nothing of a noble Mage. This was, without a doubt, the first time she had ever served one.

"Help me post a missing person quest. The one I’m looking for is... a student from the Saint Antonia Magic Academy."

The words spoken behind him made Lin Mo, who was walking away, pause for a split second. He then continued on as if he had heard nothing, quickly leaving the Association.

He ate a hearty dinner at the Hot-Stove Grill, as was his habit, then returned to his inn and carefully locked his room door.

The moment he sat on the edge of his bed, Lin Mo let out a long sigh of relief. His back was already drenched in a cold sweat.

He took the Scroll from his tunic, unrolled it, and examined it carefully once more.

"Devout apprentice, cast aside all anxiety and restlessness. Only with a mind free of distractions will the gates of Magic open for you."

Signed: Elvis, Great Mage and Mentor of Saint Antonia Academy!

’The Mage who came into the Association earlier is from the Saint Antonia Magic Academy!’

’She’s looking for a missing student from the academy, and I just so happen to be holding a Magic Scroll from Saint Antonia Academy...’

’Even if I have nothing to do with that student’s disappearance, as long as I have this scroll, I’ll never be able to explain myself.’

He couldn’t be sure if she would have the patience to ask where the scroll came from, or if she would just blast him to smithereens with Magic on the spot.

’Thankfully, I didn’t give in to my impulse and approach her earlier.’

Whatever accident had befallen that student from the Magic Academy, and whether they were still alive or not, Lin Mo wanted no part of such trouble.

He just wanted to complete quests at a steady pace, accumulating strength and wealth bit by bit.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—

The sudden knocking made the hairs on Lin Mo’s arms stand on end.

"Mr. Lin Mo, are you there?"

Bain’s voice came from outside. Lin Mo let out a breath of relief, carefully tucked the Scroll back into his tunic, composed himself, and then stood up to open the door.

"You don’t look so good. Are you hurt?"

Bain asked with concern the moment he stepped inside.

"It’s nothing, I’m just a little tired today. What’s up?"

"Right, so, we’ve already accepted those two quests. Tomorrow, you..."

"I’ve already finished the quest I had, so I can go with you tomorrow."

"Great."

A smile instantly spread across Bain’s face. "I wanted to discuss the details of these two quests with you..."

Lin Mo barely registered the details Bain went on to explain. His mind was completely preoccupied with the Mage he had encountered at the Association. He had no way of knowing if Mages in this world possessed some unknown method to track him down using the Scroll.

’But leaving the Scroll at the inn or dumping it somewhere in the city would just be a clumsy attempt at a cover-up, giving any searchers a clue to follow.’

’I either have to keep it on me at all times, or I have to get rid of it in the forest.’

’I’m heading out for a quest tomorrow anyway. I’ll decide then...’