Library

Mary brought Ange to the grand entrance of the Wolf Mage Academy. The academy was enclosed by walls, giving it an air of mystery and solemnity. Two tall beast statues stood at the entrance. One resembled a combination of a horse and an elephant from Ange's memory, possessing characteristics of both animals. The other statue depicted a plump creature with wings and sharp claws. Ange didn't recognize these magical beasts and asked Mary, "What kind of magical beasts are these?"

Mary smiled and explained, "These are the guardian beasts of the academy, the Black Scale Elephant Horse and the Blazing Flame Bird, respectively. The Black Scale Elephant Horse is indeed as its name suggests, but the Blazing Flame Bird's appearance is quite unexpected."

Ange looked at the statue of the Blazing Flame Bird and nodded, "It really doesn't look like a bird."

Mary continued, "These two magical beasts symbolize strength and wisdom, and they are the emblems of the academy."

Ange understood and didn't probe further. Mary presented her identification at the academy entrance and led Ange inside.

Upon entering the academy, Ange was immediately captivated by the strong academic atmosphere. The academy grounds were shaded by trees, and the buildings were ancient and elegant. Mary led Ange through several corridors to a magnificent building.

"This is our library," Mary introduced. "It houses a vast collection of magic books, especially resources on basic magic and elemental magic."

Ange walked into the library with anticipation and was immediately awestruck by the sight. Tall bookshelves were filled with all sorts of books, exuding a scholarly aroma. Since it was a holiday, the library was not crowded, with only a few individuals quietly reading or discussing. The entire environment was serene and orderly.

Mary took Ange to the basic magic section and helped him select a few books suitable for beginners. "These books are even more detailed than what I've taught you, all covering basic magic knowledge."

Ange flipped through the books, gradually becoming engrossed in the knowledge within. He marveled, "The books here are truly abundant."

Mary smiled and nodded, "Yes, this is the best place to learn magic. As long as you are willing to learn, the doors of knowledge are always open to you."

Ange looked at Mary gratefully, "Thank you, Mary. Your help is very important to me."

Mary gently patted Ange's shoulder, "You're welcome, we're friends. I hope you can achieve great things here."

Since students were not allowed to take any magic-related books out of the library, Ange could only browse them superficially within the limited time, essentially skimming through some basic knowledge. However, Mary comforted him, "I can bring you to the library every day for the next few days to read and study. Feel free to ask me any questions you have."

Ange nodded gratefully, "Thank you, Mary, this means a lot to me."

Mary smiled and continued, "However, after these few days, I'll be working at a magic material shop. My parents found me a sales position. If you have any questions in the future, you can also come find me at the shop."

Ange asked, "Where is that shop located?"

Mary replied, "It's in the commercial district of the East City, called 'Source of Magic.' You'll find it easily."

Ange nodded, indicating he had remembered, "Okay, I'll come find you."

The two continued to study in the library, with Mary patiently explaining some basic magical concepts and theories to Ange. Although time was limited, with Mary's help, Ange gradually gained a deeper understanding of magic.

As they left the library, Ange thanked Mary again, "I learned a lot today, all thanks to you."

Mary smiled, "You're welcome, we're friends. I hope you have a fulfilling time in Wolf City."

Ange said gratefully, "Thank you, I will cherish this time."

For the next few days, Ange went to the library with Mary every day, making the most of every minute to study magic. Mary, as always, provided patient guidance, igniting an unprecedented passion and motivation for learning in Ange.

During this time, Mary also took Ange on a tour of the Mage Academy, explaining its buildings and history in detail. Ange learned that the entire academy had fewer than 300 students.

Mary told him, "Wolf City has a population of nearly 400,000 people. This is according to the City Lord's Mansion's statistics from recent years. Although it's data from a few years ago, with the Foul Spirit invasions of the Maple Sugar Plane in the last couple of years, many people have fled to Wolf City. The current population must far exceed 400,000.

However, among so many people, only one or two thousand have magical talent. You can imagine how rare and precious Mages are."

Ange exclaimed, "Scarcity breeds value; Mages are indeed a rare resource."

Mary nodded and continued, "Furthermore, as soon as one becomes an official Mage, they can be granted a noble title by the Duchy and become Nobles. This not only brings personal honor but also benefits the entire family."

Ange asked with interest, "So, after you become a Mage, will your family also become Nobles?"

Mary's eyes sparkled with longing, "Yes, that is my goal. After becoming a Mage, I hope to bring glory and better living conditions to my family."

Ange admired Mary's determination, "That is a great goal, and I believe you can surely achieve it."

Mary smiled and continued to guide Ange through the academy's various buildings, explaining the purpose and history of each one. She showed him the academy's teaching buildings, laboratories, meditation rooms, and training grounds. At each location, Mary patiently explained, giving Ange a deeper understanding of the Mage Academy.

Through this tour, Ange gained a clearer understanding of the magic world and a deeper appreciation for Mary's determination and dream of becoming a Mage.

After Mary started working at the Source of Magic, Ange had to stay alone at the inn. Over the past few days at the academy's library, Ange had flipped through many books, especially those about spellcasting. However, since he hadn't systematically studied magic, he couldn't understand much of the content. In a book titled "Basic Fire Magic," Ange noticed a description of the Fireball spell.

As Mary studied water magic and was unfamiliar with fire magic, she couldn't provide Ange with any practical guidance. Therefore, Ange decided to try it himself.

He memorized the spellcasting steps for Fireball and prepared to practice when he had the chance. According to the book's description, casting Fireball required the caster to use their mental power to draw a flame rune above their palm. This rune was relatively simple, and Ange memorized it at a glance.

Back at the inn, Ange began to attempt the spell. He sat on the bed, closed his eyes, concentrated, and tried to project his mental power outward.

However, despite his full concentration, his mental power could not break through the limitations of his body to draw the rune above his palm. After several attempts, Ange still hadn't succeeded.

He felt a bit frustrated but didn't give up. Ange knew that learning magic required time and patience.

He decided to practice daily, hoping to gradually master projecting his mental power. He also remembered Mary mentioning that meditation was a good way to improve mental power control.

So, he began to set aside time each day for meditation, attempting to strengthen his mental power.

A few days later, Ange found that he could concentrate better during meditation, and his mental power had also improved. Although there was still a long way to go before he could cast Fireball, Ange was satisfied with his progress. He believed that with perseverance, he would eventually master Fireball.

Ange knew that haste makes waste, so he decided to put Fireball aside for the time being and focus on other things. He went to the Source of Magic to find Mary and selected some gifts at the shop.

First, he chose a magic water gathering board, which could automatically collect moisture from the air and was very practical. He then picked a warm light stone that could provide warmth on cold nights, intending to give it to his parents. Next, he selected an exquisite butterfly hairpin for his sister. Finally, he bought a short knife, only about a meter long, for his brother. The total cost was 4 gold varks.

In addition to these, he also bought several rolls of cloth. In his memory, common families usually made their own clothes, so these fabrics could be taken back for his family to use.

After shopping, Ange found Mary, who was working, and thanked her for her previous help. Seeing Ange buy so many things, Mary smiled and said, "It seems you've adapted to life in Wolf City." Ange nodded in response, "It's truly magical here, and it has shown me many new things."

Mary asked Ange about his plans. Ange replied, "I want to stay in Wolf City for a while longer to continue exploring and learning." Mary smiled and said, "Alright, when I have free time, I'll take you to more interesting places."

Ange returned to the inn with his purchases, carefully storing the gifts and cloth. He mentally planned to deliver these gifts to his family one by one when he returned to the Grand Duchy of Tan'anster.