Gains and Losses

Zhang Yuan, with his sanity intact, certainly wouldn't go on a wild goose chase for treasure, but his actions weren't without purpose.

As an old player, the Easter eggs in Baldur's Gate were second nature to him. Coincidentally, near the Friendly Arm, a small treasure awaited his discovery.

Although the area around the Friendly Arm was relatively safe, just in case, he cast the Mage Armor he had deliberately kept. Holding up a torch, he walked towards the suspected location.

The spot from his memory was a sparse grove directly south of the Friendly Arm, marked only by two large round stones below.

After circling the potential location, Zhang Yuan did find trees with two stones beneath them. However, now that night had fallen, the dim light from the torch was insufficient for a more thorough search.

Fortunately, he had prepared. Having already pinpointed the general area, Zhang Yuan decided to use a spell specifically prepared for this purpose:

"Scio, Didici, Pecto!" (I know, for I have learned with my mind, and pondered!)

As the chanting ended, a beam of light shot directly forward from his hand. Zhang Yuan intended to use the effect of Identify to trigger the magic aura of the treasure and pinpoint its location.

To his surprise, there was no reaction. No magical aura reflected from the pile of stones, only his own dumbfounded face under the torchlight.

Impossible, did I miscalculate? Perhaps Identify can't be used this way, or maybe there isn't any Easter egg here at all?

A mixture of speculation and anxiety flooded his mind, leaving him dizzy. Just then, a squeaking sound came from the tree trunk.

A squirrel poked its little head out. Startled by the light from Identify, it looked at a tall creature standing right at its doorstep, muttering to itself about who knows what.

The displeased Zhang Yuan, seeing the small creature, was about to wave it away, but then he remembered his familiar. He changed his outstretched hand into a gentle stroke.

To his surprise, the squirrel gave him no face at all, twisting its body and darting back into its nest.

Hmph, it's your honor to receive my favor, and you dare to resist?

Infuriated, Zhang Yuan stubbornly reached into the squirrel's hole, determined to pet it thoroughly.

"I'll pet you bald!" he muttered, rummaging through the hole. He didn't catch the squirrel, but he did scatter the little creature's winter provisions everywhere.

Suddenly, Zhang Yuan's fingertips brushed against something. Unlike the dry, warm feel of branches and pinecones, it was a cold, hard, metallic touch. It was as if lightning struck his mind, and the possibilities made him tremble all over.

He immediately moved the torch to the hole, disregarding the shivering squirrel, which was frightened by the firelight. He frantically searched through the pinecones and branches with his other hand, oblivious to the scratches on his skin.

Perhaps Lady Luck Benshaba was satisfied and had departed, for fate did not play tricks on him again. Zhang Yuan finally found his target at the bottom of the tree hollow.

It was a ring made of a substance that looked like澄yellow gold, inlaid with a ruby. Zhang Yuan, who had been searching for so long, eagerly put it on his left hand.

At the same moment, he felt an inexplicable power surge from his left hand into his mind, vastly expanding and extending its capacity.

His mind, which could previously only accommodate two sets of first-level spell models, could now hold four sets. This meant his spell slots had doubled, almost equivalent to leveling up directly.

Experiencing a wild swing of emotions, Zhang Yuan leaned against the tree, taking several deep breaths. He chanted "Remain unmoved by external gains or losses" several times to calm his excitement.

Standing steady again, Zhang Yuan was surprised to see the little squirrel glaring at him, puffing its cheeks. In a good mood, Zhang Yuan felt a little sheepish looking at the mess he'd made of the tree hollow and the scattered pinecones on the ground.

This little guy was his lucky charm! Moreover, it had suffered losses because of him. So, Zhang Yuan did what he could, picking up the fallen pinecones and placing them back into the tree hollow. He even smoothed out the messy nest with his hand.

"I'll thank you properly later," he said, not caring whether the squirrel understood. Then he turned and headed back to the inn.

Everything was perfect. Despite minor setbacks, the Ring of Sorcery had finally fallen into his hands. Combined with the newly acquired scrolls, once he learned the spells on them, he would be a powerful Level 1 Mage by tomorrow morning.

His thoughts were grand, but the first step went awry. When he picked up the Shadow Magic Scroll to record it into his system's spellbook, the system didn't react even slightly.

This truly stumped him. After all, in the game, simply clicking to transcribe would automatically teach the spell. Moreover, the system had gifted him so many spells initially; why wasn't it working now?

Zhang Yuan's repeated attempts to examine the scroll were futile. If he hadn't been reluctant to waste it, he would have considered tearing it up and eating it.

Helpless, Zhang Yuan had to rely on himself and tried to decipher the scroll, but the result was, as expected, a failure.

As an outsider with no knowledge base and no prior guidance or training, he wasn't even a self-taught mage. He had no idea about the principles of the unknown spell structure, how it operated, or how to replicate it in his mind.

Giving up in frustration, Zhang Yuan had no choice but to seek help. He went downstairs to the counter. Fortunately, Banterley, the owner, was still on duty. Under the old mage's curious gaze, Zhang Yuan approached him and honestly explained his difficulty in transcribing and memorizing spells.

This time, Banterley was genuinely surprised. He tiptoed and scrutinized the novice mage before him, asking in a tone of disbelief, "You're saying you awakened magic without any foundation or relevant knowledge? And four spells at that?"

Fearing it sounded too unbelievable, Zhang Yuan concealed the spells he hadn't publicly cast and replied, "Yes, I've never dealt with magic before, nor have I studied any related knowledge."

Banterley said with uncertainty, "Are you sure you awakened as a Mage? If you were a Sorcerer, then everything would make sense."

Just as Zhang Yuan was about to defend himself, he was interrupted.

"No, you're definitely not a Sorcerer." As he spoke, old Banterley stared intently at Zhang Yuan's face, shaking his head repeatedly.

??? Zhang Yuan, stunned for a moment, cursed in his mind. He knew exactly what Banterley's reaction meant.

(In D&D, Mages and Sorcerers use the same magic, but their casting methods differ. Mages must choose and memorize the spells they need for the next day the night before. Once they fall asleep after determining their spells, they cannot change them. Sorcerers, on the other hand, do not need to study; they automatically learn new spells upon leveling up and can cast their acquired spells freely upon waking each day. Generally, Mages have a wider range of spells but are cumbersome to prepare and have fewer spell slots. Sorcerers are convenient to cast and have more spell slots, but their repertoire is limited. However! That's not the most important thing. The most important thing is that Sorcerers cast magic based on Charisma, not Intelligence! This means... all Sorcerers are attracted to good looks.)

MMP, MMP, MMP, why are you shaking your head? Do you look down on this handsome guy? Zhang Yuan, mentally complaining furiously, his square face contorted into a long, dejected one.

Sensing the man's displeasure, the old mage chuckled, "Man, there's no shame in earning a living through your own abilities. Look at me, I achieved what I have today through my own hard work, and I even married the most beautiful girl in our village."

Zhang Yuan cast a sideways glance at the old mage. You? Your village? The most beautiful girl in your village?

Absolutely unwilling to imagine what the village flower of the gnome race might look like, Zhang Yuan directly stated his question, "Esteemed Banterley, I am certain I awakened as a Mage, but I have no foundation whatsoever. How can I learn new spells?"

Old Banterley also seemed troubled. He picked up his pipe from the counter and began to smoke, the fumes making Zhang Yuan frown. He thought, Why do all old mages like to smoke pipes? According to the background information, some incorrigible legendary mage also kept a pipe constantly.

The contemplative old mage suddenly looked up, "I remember now."