Books and Invitations (Three Chapters in One)

That afternoon, Abel declined Viscount Ebenezer's request to send guards to protect him and went alone to Angnew City's busiest commercial street.

He walked out of the Lord's Mansion and directly summoned Black Wind from his spatial beast ring. Black Wind's imposing appearance immediately caught the eye of the Minotaur guards stationed outside the Lord's Mansion.

Because the Central Continent had strict regulations forbidding the use of "Teleportation" and all kinds of combat Contract Beasts within cities, mounts like dire wolves—with some combat ability and excellent all-terrain mobility—had become everyone's dream.

Especially since beastmen were far heavier than humans, ordinary human mounts could not carry strong beastmen. Thus, in the Minotaur's eyes, Black Wind was the perfect mount.

What Abel did not know was that, because the knight profession was banned in the Central Continent, true combat mounts had become extremely rare. Knights had always been famous for cultivating and training in coordination with their mounts.

Fortunately, he was a Level 16 High-level Wizard. This identity meant that people merely envied him for riding Black Wind; no one dared entertain any ideas.

He arrived before a shop whose sign depicted an open book. He jumped down from Black Wind, left him outside, and walked in alone.

"Wizard, what do you need?" The bookshop was not large. Only a middle-aged man in a shabby noble's robe was inside. Seeing Abel enter, he hurried over to greet him.

"Do you have maps?" Abel asked.

"Yes, yes! I'll find one for you!" the middle-aged man hurriedly replied.

"I want the best one!" Abel added.

"Of course. I'll definitely bring you the best!" Saying this, the middle-aged man went into the back room.

Abel stood in the shop and looked around at the books. Most were miscellaneous works such as biographies and poetry. Almost