Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Mages Are Also Prey

After listening to Instructor Marvin’s explanation, Zelir’s understanding of the structure of magic became much clearer.

Magic Manipulation, upon closer inspection, could be broken down into many smaller fields.

For example, the efficiency with which one used every bit of Magic Power, the speed of its flow, the techniques for wielding it, and so on...

And all of these things were tied to the Intelligence Attribute.

It was only after increasing his own Intelligence that he had been able to optimize the Spell Structure of his Fireball Skill.

After coming out of the Room of Serenity, Zelir and Bev went to the Elder Mage at the front desk to collect their Mage’s Guild emblems and their monthly stipends.

Unlike the Adventurer’s Association, the Guild was very particular about the materials it used, even for the lowest-Level Magic Apprentice emblems.

The emblem was a small, circular white tag that felt like jade to the touch.

Bev happily pinned it to her chest. She didn’t seem to care much about the stipend the Guild provided.

Zelir, on the other hand, carefully put away both the money and the emblem.

A single Gold Coin—that was enough to cover two months of his rent.

’When I think about it, the Mage’s Guild is seriously loaded.’

’The Black Stone Town branch alone must have several dozen Magic Apprentices, right?’

’That means they hand out several hundred Gold Coins a year just in stipends.’

’And then there are Mages of other Levels, whose stipends are surely even higher.’

’What if you counted all the Mages in the entire Sel Kingdom? The cost would be astronomical...’

’Just how rich is the Mage’s Guild?’

Zelir couldn’t help but shake his head in amazement.

’Instructor Marvin must have helped me out because he saw I was a commoner with few savings.’

’In three months, I’ll be able to collect three Gold Coins just from the stipend.’

’Add in some other income, and buying a couple of lower-quality Magic Scrolls shouldn’t be a problem.’

Although Zelir had already made all of Bev’s magic his own and didn’t need to buy Magic Scrolls, he still appreciated the kind gesture.

’He’s a good mentor.’

Having received his Mage rating, Zelir’s main task for the day was complete. But there was one more thing on his mind.

A Magic Wand.

A Warrior’s weapons are their Sword and Shield, so a Mage’s best partner was, of course, a Magic Wand.

It could shorten Casting times, increase the power of his Magic, and perhaps even have other special effects.

Now that he had a bit of money, there was no reason for Zelir not to get one for himself.

"Miss Bev, do you know where I can buy a Magic Wand? I’d like to take a look," Zelir asked.

"They have them at the Guild’s trading post. Hmm... I’m not busy right now, so I can take you over for a look."

After leaving the main office, Bev led Zelir deeper into the Guild.

The sky was clear and the path was shaded by trees. Having just passed her test, Bev was in a wonderful mood, and her steps grew light and carefree.

"You said earlier you’re an Adventurer. Have you run into any dangerous situations on your quests?" Bev asked curiously.

"Yes," Zelir said. "We ran into a Fog Demon during a wolf extermination quest."

"A Fog Demon?"

"It’s a rather terrifying type of Demon. Its body is cobbled together from the corpses of its prey. It’s also very strong, and its skin is covered by a strange Energy Barrier that can nullify most physical attacks."

Zelir made a few gestures. "Luckily, it was just a juvenile and not fully grown. In the end, my teammates and I managed to kill it together."

"Whoa..."

Bev’s eyebrows rose slightly in amazement. "Then you really are Lucky."

"Yeah, if it had been an adult, I’d be dead for sure." Zelir felt a pang of residual fear as he recalled the scene.

"No, that’s not what I mean," Bev said. "I mean you’re Lucky to have a team like that."

"What do you mean?" Zelir didn’t understand.

"You don’t know?" Bev said. "According to statistics from the Adventurer’s Association, Mages have the highest mortality rate when Low Level parties encounter powerful enemies."

"Huh... I’ve never heard that," Zelir said, surprised.

"Yep. A powerful enemy means a fight to the death, and there’s a high chance of casualties. Everyone’s in it for the money. No one wants to risk their life, so the safest option is to run."

Bev explained, counting on her fingers.

"But how can a Mage’s physique compare to a Warrior, a Ranger, or an Assassin? Once the party scatters, the Mage is always left behind."

"Besides, Demons have sharp instincts. They’ll prioritize attacking the Mage, who poses the greatest threat. Think about it: if your leader had decided to run from that Fog Demon, would you have survived?"

"Probably... not," Zelir said, scratching his head.

’Back then, Gray had wanted to run. It was Marcus who stepped up to steady everyone’s nerves, leading by example and holding the front line.’

’If the party had routed... things really might have gone down just like Bev described.’

’Zelir would have been the first to die.’

"And in a way, Mages can become the prey themselves... Did you know? Over a decade ago, there was a terrible incident where an Elemental Master and a Holy Healer were killed during a quest."

"Although the party leader claimed they died fighting a Demon," Bev continued, "the investigation later revealed their own teammates were responsible. They had grown greedy for the treasures the Mages possessed, so they ambushed and killed them."

"An Elemental Master and a Holy Healer, killed?! That’s..." Zelir was so shocked he couldn’t find the words.

After a Mage’s Level surpassed the Upper Level, they could choose a path for Reclassification.

Elemental Masters and Holy Healers were post-Reclassification classes, and experts of that caliber were undoubtedly part of the Mage’s Guild’s top brass.

"Scary, isn’t it?"

Bev wrinkled her nose.

"But that’s the truth. No matter how powerful a Mage’s Magic is, their bodies are still only human. If they’re ambushed by a High Tier Warrior, their chances of survival are practically zero."

"After the incident, the Mage’s Guild was furious and nearly came into open conflict with the Adventurer’s Association. The King himself had to step in to mediate in the end."

"Ever since, the relationship between the two guilds has been extremely tense, and it took many years to ease. But the incident’s repercussions are still felt today. For one, far fewer Mages take quests from the Adventurer’s Association."

"The Mage’s Guild even set up its own quest commission office. If someone needs to hire a Mage, they can post the quest directly there."

"However, if a Mage dies on a quest, the Guild will launch a thorough investigation into the entire mission to ensure they weren’t killed by their own teammates. It serves as a kind of safeguard."

"That certainly provides a sense of security," Zelir nodded.

’The idea that if I die on a quest, the Mage’s Guild will come after my teammates... That sounds pretty great.’