Xia Nan was very happy to see Vior in the party.
As for the reason, it naturally was not that fair, delicate face of hers, the kind usually seen only in noble households, untouched by wind or sun.
It was because of her identity as a "mage."
Why were Spellcasters—especially mage-type Professionals—so welcomed by Adventurers on the Aifala Continent? Why were even mage apprentices who had only mastered a few cantrips still chased after by many Profession-level teams?
Flames and thunder drawn together by Magic Particles, those damage-type spells difficult for ordinary people to touch, were only part of the reason.
The most important thing was the unparalleled versatility that the mage profession displayed in all kinds of situations.
Even if a level 1 mage with a complete Spell List set aside those first-circle spells that might be somewhat difficult to use, and then ignored improved versions of spells that might require certain channels to memorize, just starting from the very bottom of the Spell List pyramid, the most basic "cantrips,"
there were many types that could greatly improve the adventuring experience and strengthen fault tolerance.
"Message" could cross spatial barriers in complex environments and directly initiate one-on-one private communication with the target, and could even penetrate or bypass obstacles;
"Mage Hand" was a floating palm formed from Magic Particles and mental force. Within a range of 30 feet, you could control it to do anything an ordinary human hand could do;
"Dancing Lights" created one to four magical light sources that floated in the air and could freely follow movement, so precious manpower no longer had to be wasted on holding torches or carrying lanterns.
For Adventurers deep in the wilderness, with no one to rely on except themselves and their teammates, having or not having these highly functional