Mage Potion Obtained

Amidst a cluster of low, dilapidated houses, the church of Eagle Town stood out with striking prominence.

The bell tower soared high, its exterior walls, once pristine white granite, now bore a layer of resilient yellow from the ravages of time.

A sparrow flew through the open glass window, and the morning sun followed, illuminating the space and bathing the statue of the Lord of Light in a radiant glow as it swept across the slightly hazy air.

This creator of the Church of Light, a deity enthroned in the heavenly kingdom, sat upon his divine seat.

As recorded in the Holy Word Record, the divine seat was crafted from bluestone, unadorned by any embellishment.

The Lord of Light, just as described in the scriptures, wore a laurel wreath atop his square, short curly hair. He had a broad forehead, wide-open eyes, a full nose, and thin lips, exuding the majesty befitting a divine lord.

He wore a loose and simple "Peporos" on his upper body, an ancient human garment resembling a short-sleeved shirt made from lightweight fabric. The craftsmanship of the church's artisans was exquisite; even the folds of the clothing were carved with lifelike detail, accentuating His robust musculature.

His right hand was raised high, palm facing upward, cradling the sun and moon in their intertwined brilliance; his left hand rested on the divine seat, legs slightly apart, his feet crushing a dragon with eight heads.

The eight dragon heads were of different colors—red, yellow, white, green, black, gold, silver, and bronze—the colors of eight pure-blooded dragons.

Their eyes, featuring cross-shaped pupils, were wide open, with blood flowing from their mouths and nostrils.

This was Tiamat, the progenitor of dragons and the Dragon God, who had once led the dragon race in enslaving all the races on the Middle Continent.

Fortunately, the Lord of Light had slain her, liberating the Middle Continent from the dark rule of the dragons. Through this benevolent act, He became the sole, supreme, and ultimate true god on the continent.

Of course, this was the Church of Light's narrative.

At this moment, Laxus knelt on a cushion before the statue, hands clasped loosely at her neck, praying devoutly:

"Great Lord of Light, you are the creator of continental peace, the protector of humankind, the god of light and goodness; only you are worthy of my devotion, admiration, and worship. Every day, your kindness and mercy surround me..."

Her voice was steady and clear, like the babbling of a stream.

With a soft thud, something fell to the ground, but she persisted until the end of her prayer before turning around. Seeing what had fallen, she couldn't help but let out a light chuckle.

It was a beanbag, sewn from scraps of fabric in various patterns, bearing several smudged fingerprints.

Laxus held the beanbag as she went outside. A few children who had been whispering looked over, their eyes lighting up. After a brief discussion, they pushed a little girl forward.

"Priestess Laxus," the girl said, approaching Laxus with a hint of embarrassment and performing a proper bow. "Could you please return our beanbag? We promise we won't play around in front of the church anymore!"

Placing the beanbag back into her hand, Laxus offered a kind smile. "You can have the beanbag back, and you can continue to play nearby, but promise me you won't throw it through the window again, okay?"

The girl clutched the beanbag, her rosy cheeks blooming like a flower. "Yes, I understand, honored Priestess!"

With that, she quickly ran back.

"Be careful, don't fall," Laxus called out in a drawn-out voice, then turned and walked back into the church amidst the slightly noisy squawking of chickens and ducks.

Eagle Town was truly different now.

Raven was a competent, even unexpectedly good, lord. He had distributed a portion of the six hundred chickens and six hundred ducks to the residents of Eagle Territory, with each household receiving two hens and two female ducks.

Of course, Raven wasn't footing the bill out of his own pocket. Each male chicken or duck was priced at 50 copper coins, and each female chicken or duck at 1 silver coin. There was no interest, and the repayment period was very generous, with payment due within three years.

Although chickens and ducks consumed feed, they ate far less than cattle or sheep. Furthermore, after getting accustomed to the environment, they immediately began to generate value by laying eggs.

Two poultry eggs could be sold for one copper coin, and a hen or female duck could lay an average of four eggs every five days, which amounted to two copper coins.

This meant that every five days, a household could earn 8 copper coins, totaling 48 copper coins in a month. Even after deducting costs, they could still have an income of about 40 copper coins.

Naturally, animals were not machines and wouldn't lay eggs so precisely on schedule, and an abundance of eggs would inevitably lead to price drops. However, this had undeniably provided the residents of Eagle Town with a significant source of income.

With money in their pockets, life had become more comfortable, and some shrewd residents had already begun to consider saving up to purchase more chickens and ducks.

Lately, the most frequently heard phrase by Laxus was "Thank you, Lord Baron."

Even now, she could still hear the words "Lord Baron."

No, not "could still hear"—the voice was getting closer.

With a creak, the church doors opened. Raven nodded to a resident who greeted him and then stepped inside. "I heard there's been news about the Mage Potions?"

"Hmph!" Laxus shot him an annoyed glance. "I knew it. You wouldn't come to see me unless you heard this news. What, you really don't want to face your creditor?"

Raven rubbed his nose and smiled sheepishly. "Not really. It's just that I've been too busy lately. You know, a lord has a lot of work to do, and Eagle Town is also starting from scratch..."

"I know that, of course, but you still need to make time for prayer, right?" Laxus's tone softened slightly. "Don't forget, in three months, if you still haven't mastered Elvish, you'll owe me 2,000 gold coins."

Raven's eyes lit up. "So, the potions have arrived?"

"I knew that's what you were focused on. Come with me." Although her tone was still a bit displeased, Laxus wasn't truly angry. After all, she had been equally excited when she learned she could become a Divine Spellcaster.

Laxus led the way, with Raven following closely behind. They soon arrived at the study on the second floor.

Raven was quite surprised by the layout.

It wasn't as meticulously organized as he had imagined. In the small study, various books were piled up haphazardly, numbering at least a hundred. More than half of them had colorful bookmarks inserted between their pages.

The titles on the spines made Raven gasp.

Chronicles of Kains II, Kains VI – Tyrant or King, Studies on the Customs of the Elven Race, The Empire on the Grasslands: The Origin of the Insar Empire, The Lava Forge: The Rise and Fall of the Dwarven Kingdom.

Each book was thicker than the last, and judging by their titles, the content was extremely dry and serious. "Have you read all of these?"

"Yes," Laxus replied, opening a bookshelf and finding a box. "History is quite interesting!"

Raven tidied the books on the desk and moved them aside. Laxus then placed the box on the desk. "Alright, here are the God-Given Potions you wanted. Open them and see."

Hearing this, Raven's heart quickened. He took a deep breath and carefully opened the box.

Suddenly, a exquisite potion appeared before his eyes.

Its overall shape resembled a water droplet, with a pure gold stopper and a hollowed-out silver casing protecting the relatively fragile glass within.

A pool of viscous liquid sloshed inside, with specks of starlight-like silver dust scattered throughout, constantly moving as if it were a star cluster in the universe, mysterious and captivating.

This was a Second-tier God-Given Potion, capable of awakening a mage's talent.

"It's truly beautiful..." Raven's hand gently stroked the bottle's surface. Through the Eye of Truth, he could clearly see the rich energy contained within.

"Cough!" Laxus gave a soft cough, bringing Raven back to attention. With her hands clasped behind her back, she said, "This potion is yours. After we get back, you can look at it as long as you want. But before that, I need to tell you a few things."

Raven nodded and said with a smile, "I'm all ears."

Laxus spoke like a teacher, "To become a mage, it's not enough to just drink the potion. To better withstand the power within, it's best to calm your emotions as much as possible before taking it."

She withdrew her right hand, and her slender, bamboo-shoot-like fingers began to count them off. "You could take a bath and burn incense, or fast and pray, or meditate, go for a long run, or exercise."

As she spoke, Laxus clenched her fingers into a fist, leaving only her index finger extended. "In short, the goal is only one: to completely calm your mind, even empty it. This will increase the success rate."

Raven nodded to show he understood. He knew how to calm himself down.

He would have to trouble Patti when he got back.

"There's one more thing, and you must pay close attention." Laxus's voice rose slightly as she emphasized, "Even with a second-tier potion, there's still a chance of failure after taking it. If you feel any signs of the energy going wild, do not try to control it or resist it. Just let it dissipate naturally. Otherwise, it could cause irreversible damage."

As if completely immersed in her role as a 'teacher,' Laxus asked, "These are the important points. Do you have any other questions?"

Becoming extraordinary meant inevitably facing risks, a fact Raven was prepared for. He was more curious about other aspects. "Laxus, when you awakened, did you also take a God-Given Potion?"

"Yes, but the specific method is different for mages and knights," Laxus replied. "It's a shame. If you had chosen to become a Divine Spellcaster, I could have helped you more."

Raven asked a question that had been bothering him: "What exactly is the difference between Divine Spellcasters, mages, and knights?"

Laxus didn't answer immediately. Instead, she walked over to the bookshelf and retrieved three thick tomes.

"Nothing Beyond the Gods."

"The Path of the Mage: On the Growth of Mages, Stage Goals, and Precautions (Excluding Illusionary Arts)."

"The Self-Cultivation of a Knight."

With a "bang," she placed them on the table and said, as if presenting a treasure, "These three books are all written by Saint-tier powerhouses. Although the details within may be vague, once you finish reading them, you'll have a clear and comprehensive understanding of these matters."

Raven looked into her sapphire-blue eyes and saw that the young girl wasn't joking. He couldn't help but give a wry smile. "Reading is certainly a good thing, but could you give me a brief explanation first? I'll take these books to read carefully later."

"Mm, alright." Laxus seemed to enjoy lecturing. "Simply put, the most fundamental difference between Divine Spellcasters, mages, and knights lies in the energy within their bodies."

"Mages have 'Magic Power' within them, which can be used to guide the elements of nature to achieve desired effects. It's essentially attribute-less, but because each mage has a different affinity for elements, different magical schools emerge."

"Divine Spellcasters have 'Divine Power' within them, which is a gift bestowed by the Lord of Light. They can use the power of Holy Light. By the way, many people say Divine Spellcasters and mages are the same, but they are actually completely different. Mages chant spells, while we recite prayers."

"Knights and warriors have 'Battle Qi' within them, which naturally possesses different attributes. They can unleash power without chanting and greatly enhance their physique. The higher the tier of Battle Qi, the stronger its resistance to magic becomes."

Having read a lot of books certainly had its advantages. Although Laxus's explanation wasn't particularly lively, it was clear and distinct, making her a qualified teacher.

Pushing the three large books towards Raven, Laxus said sternly, "I brought these three from the Papal Library in the imperial capital. You must be careful not to damage them."

The Papal Library.

Raven was shocked for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings. "Are all of these from the Papal Library?"

"Most of them are. What's wrong?" Laxus asked.

"Nothing..." Raven shook his head, still inwardly stunned.

In this world, the primary medium for writing was parchment, which was expensive and not convenient for circulation.

Knowledge was an extremely expensive and scarce commodity.

Even the Griffith Family, which had been passed down for hundreds of years, only had a few dozen books in their study, more than half of which were poetry collections and knight novels. This was already considered quite good.

But the Church's books were so numerous that they had to establish a library specifically for their collection. Moreover, a Second-tier Divine Spellcaster could borrow hundreds of them in large quantities for extended periods.

The richness of its collection was likely comparable to most libraries in Raven's previous life.

The deep foundation of the Church of Light was evident.

"Oh, and these too." Laxus placed four parchment scrolls on top of the three books. "These are four different first-tier magic cultivation methods, corresponding to Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind, respectively. If you become a mage, you can see which one suits you better and help you find your direction."

Raven's expression lit up.

He had previously asked Fili to acquire some spells for him, but there had been no news. Now, he had obtained four at once!

"Thank you so much. Otherwise, even if I succeed this time, I wouldn't be able to cast a single spell."

"You're welcome." Laxus showed a hint of smugness. "These are complimentary; I didn't spend any money."

"Still, thank you." Raven looked at her cute face and raised an eyebrow. "I'll send someone to deliver ten bottles of Angel's Tear later."

"Don't think you can buy me off with that." Laxus rolled her eyes. "If you can't master Elvish, I won't waive your interest."

"Heh, don't worry, I won't go back on my word either." Smiling, Raven picked up the books on the table and said, "Then I'll be going back now."

"As a Baron, it's not proper for you to carry things back yourself." Laxus's fingers intertwined behind her back, as if casually saying, "Why don't you have your servant pick them up? They can bring the Angel's Tear too. Shall we have lunch together?"

Raven was eager to awaken as a mage. "No need. It's not much anyway, I can still carry it."

Saying that, he turned and left.

Watching Raven's retreating back as he left without a backward glance, Laxus sighed with a hint of playful annoyance. "Hmph, if I'd known this would happen, I should have kept you here for a few more days..."

Completely unaware of Laxus's little thoughts, Raven returned to the castle and immediately instructed Patti to prepare a bath for him.

The bath lasted for three full hours.

When everything was done, Raven, feeling refreshed, went to the secret chamber he hadn't visited in a long time and held the bottle of second-tier God-Given Potion in his hand.

"Whether I can become a mage before the end of the year depends on this."

He opened the stopper, tilted his head back, and poured the liquid into his mouth, downing it in one go!