After eating, he prepared his spells and spent a short while studying the techniques of Eschew Materials.
It was not until four in the afternoon that Raymond left the inn and headed for the gathering place of scholars and spellcasters in Calimport's XC District.
Unlike the noise and overcrowding found throughout the rest of the city, this place looked quiet and orderly at a glance.
Wizard's Towers of all sizes, libraries, and garden villas stood along both sides of the roads.
More than a fifth of the pedestrians on the streets carried obvious magical auras.
They were either wizards, sorcerers, or bards, or wore magic items of considerable grade.
Groups of servants and slaves followed behind them all.
More importantly, unlike the Docks District, this place was not crawling with pickpockets and thieves.
The patrolling soldiers were also exceptionally diligent.
The moment they spotted anyone suspicious, they stepped forward to question them, then swiftly decided whether to arrest them or drive them out.
The streets were nearly as clean as those of a modern city.
Even at the edge of a water-starved desert, numerous ornamental fountains had been built around the squares.
In stark contrast, the poor in the slums struggled even to get a sip of clean drinking water.
Using the address left by the merchant woman, Raymond quickly found a four-story spire.
Before he could raise his hand to knock, the tightly shut door suddenly opened on its own.
"Thank goodness! You finally woke up before nightfall. No more nonsense, get in here. I've prepared enough materials, so get to work already." Aisha stood at the door, urging him on.
"You're in such a hurry? Don't tell me you've already received orders?"
Raymond asked as he followed her into the ground-floor hall of the Wizard's Tower.
Compared with