Elderly Mage

If it weren't for the many people in the audience staring at them, Zhao Xu would have almost blurted out.

After a moment of recovery, he realized Antinoa must have been joking.

Perhaps the sudden incident a week ago was related to this.

"Stop joking, Mentor," Zhao Xu pouted.

"I'm not joking. Actually, it's fine as long as a Legendary Mage takes turns handling it. Our 'Final Scroll' has no shortage of Legendary Mages. As long as someone is willing to put in the effort, headquarters won't have any complaints."

"Don't say once a month, you can do this once every day, and I wouldn't mind."

Even though Zhao Xu knew he was leaning on a powerful backer, he couldn't help but gasp at her words.

A Level 17 mage capable of casting Level 9 spells could, let alone be a king, if they were truly determined, go and become a lord-level ruler with their own army.

It wasn't about whether it was possible, but whether they wanted to do it.

For a Level 21 or higher Legendary Mage, the problems they faced daily were on the scale of saving the world.

Thinking of this, Zhao Xu couldn't help but look at the corner where Wang Ningwei was sitting with a hint of sympathy.

The fact that these players could awaken here at this time indicated that, in their previous lives, they were basically delayed for five days, or even more, by being alive.

Perhaps there were a few among them who were suppressing their thoughts, pursuing the honor of being the first to complete their mage academy training.

It was a pity that this was Mistral, where countless of the most top-tier and most talented mage apprentices had been sent over thousands of years.

Even the most powerful geniuses had to obediently tuck their tails between their legs in this place.

Zhao Xu's gaze slowly scanned over, and he looked at the native mage apprentices of Arthur, asking with slight surprise.

"Mentor, is there any way to improve mage talent by throwing money at it?"

Antinoa glanced in the direction of Zhao Xu's gaze. "You've got the cause and effect reversed."

"Let me ask you, if you were a lord or even a king, would you prefer to send your children to become mages or warriors?"

Only then did Zhao Xu fall silent.

Although those native mage apprentices were all wearing the same apprentice robes here, with only the same badge pinned to their chests as him.

However, Zhao Xu, having been a bodyguard, had incredibly sharp eyes.

He could tell at a glance that there was definitely no small number of nobles among these mage apprentices.

This unusual number made him unable to help but ask.

"The most direct way to improve mage talent is to increase the Intelligence attribute."

"However, among those in the audience, there won't be more than five who have read the 'Contemplation Scroll' or received an increase in their innate Intelligence bonus through 'Wish Spell'."

Only then did Zhao Xu turn his head to glance at Antinoa.

Even nobles couldn't necessarily enjoy the "Wish Spell," yet the woman before him had cast it for him with a simple demonstration.

If it weren't for the players present, Zhao Xu would have definitely couldn't help but mutter, "While the rich feast on meat, the poor starve."

"Don't overthink it, I only cast it once, and the upper limit for the innate Intelligence bonus is 5 points. It's not that easy for everyone to cast 'Wish Spell' five times in a row."

"For mages to increase their innate Intelligence bonus by 5 points, most of them do so by reading a '+5 Contemplation Scroll'."

"If you manage to gather 135,000 gold coins someday, I can sell one to you. You can't buy them on the market."

Zhao Xu secretly muttered to himself. He wouldn't be so greedy; being able to add two or three points to his Intelligence would be satisfying enough.

Five Wish Spells, who could imagine.

But 130,000 gold coins, even if he could smuggle silver over, that would be fifty million yuan.

If calculated using gold, four hundred million yuan was even less to mention.

In his previous life, players were basically struggling on the poverty line.

Suddenly, the half-closed main door at the front was gently pushed open.

An old mage, looking nearly seventy or eighty years old, leaning on a staff nearly a meter tall, slowly walked in.

Hearing the sound, the novice mages in the hall quickly straightened up, displaying a meticulous demeanor.

Looking at this Gandalf-like old man, Zhao Xu still paid silent respect.

In fantasy literature, a mage's strength was generally linked to their age, except for the one beside him.

"Mentor, that metal staff looks very cool. When I attended the forum, I saw many mages carrying staffs. Will I receive one after I take up my post?"

Antinoa glanced at Zhao Xu.

"Sometimes you know a lot, and sometimes you really don't understand anything. That's a 'Greater Spell Haste Wand,' it can allow your spells to be cast instantly three times a day."

Zhao Xu had received many shocks today. The moment he heard "instant cast," he knew its strategic value, and quickly asked, "How much?"

"170,000 GP."

"How much?" Zhao Xu suspected he had misheard.

"You didn't mishear, this is the most expensive one in the Greater Magic series."

Zhao Xu had to lower his excited voice.

"I knew it. For mages, the unit of measurement isn't gold coins, but tens of thousands of gold coins."

Players wouldn't be able to afford something this expensive in their first year, which was why he didn't recognize it.

In his past life, Zhao Xu had only ever encountered wands, which were like multi-cast scrolls, less than 30 centimeters long. How could he have known about something he'd never even heard of?

"Hmm?"

Zhao Xu suddenly noticed that the elderly mage was slowly walking towards him, followed by a middle-aged mage who looked quite respectful.

Zhao Xu was standing at the boundary between the reception desk and the seating area behind it. He turned his head and realized there was no one else standing behind him.

They were coming directly for them.

Could they be trying to kick us out?

Then, the elderly mage noticed that Antinoa was just a novice mage, and everything she'd done so far had been to deceive him, including the gold coins she'd conjured with the Wish Spell yesterday, which were merely illusions.

As Zhao Xu was idly imagining the plot, he realized that even though the mage's steps were slow, he was getting closer and closer. Antinoa, however, remained completely unfazed.

She showed no regard for respecting elders or cherishing the young.

Following that, the elderly mage stopped walking when he was about half a meter away from them.

All the novice mages in the main hall, no matter how proud they were, were drawn in by this scene.

They were captivated by the old mage who was about to conduct their ritual.

"Teacher, you're still as elegant as ever." The elderly mage lowered his head, his white beard seeming to almost reach the ground.

"Couldn't you have used a Gate or a Dimension Door to get here?" Antinoa said.

"Teacher, spell slots are every mage's trump card. It's too wasteful to use them just for walking a few steps," the elderly mage replied respectfully.

"Heh. Go make the arrangements quickly, I'm in a hurry."

The old man's eyes then fell on Zhao Xu. "Teacher, the talent you've chosen is indeed outstanding."

Zhao Xu wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but he thought he saw an emotion of some kind in the old man's gleaming eyes.

"Young man, you can just go up and sit on that 'Arcane Throne'."