Apprentice Tasks

"Don't look at me like that. In truth, considering what this magic item can do, it's worth far more than 300 points. I only gave you a discount because I saw your talent and wanted to make a friend."

"It offers protection, enhancement, and support. Giving you knowledge would violate the rules, but this thing is perfect for you. Newcomers like you sometimes have an inexplicable sense of crisis, so this is just what you need."

The librarian shrugged and continued.

"If you don't believe me, go ask at the apprentice Miscellaneous Affairs Office. A magic item like this would sell for at least 500 or 600 points there, and it might even be priceless."

This...

Taylor looked at the unconcerned librarian, opened his mouth, then realized he had nothing to say. He was right. Given what this magic item could do, selling it cheaply would be an insult to how useful it was.

Besides, the man had likely cut the price in half.

No matter how much the Wizard World valued order and rules, strength was what ultimately mattered. While cleaning the corridors before, Taylor had heard other Wizard apprentices chatting about how they sometimes received tasks such as guarding monsters or feeding them.

Just thinking about it sounded dangerous. He really needed to watch out for his own safety.

Seeing Taylor still hesitate, the librarian thought it over and finally decided to let the young apprentice owe him one.

Who knew when the next batch of apprentices would arrive? By the time they came, he might already be dead. It was only an investment, anyway. He could make magic items, so wouldn't it be fine to spend some effort making another one?

Free was impossible. Nothing was free in the world of Wizards; equivalent exchange was the truth. The so-called discount merely shifted the goal elsewhere.

He still had some ambition. He felt that the Apprentice Library was an excellent place. He could look up all kinds of knowledge while quietly doing his own things—whether meditating or crafting magic items.

Even if he had no hope of becoming a powerful Wizard, remaining an apprentice and staying in the library forever would still be a fine job.

The reason he had always been the administrator of the Apprentice Library was, on one hand, that he was a third-level Wizard apprentice capable of making magic items. On the other, he had used the same method to win many powerful Wizard apprentices over as friends. Two of them had even become powerful Wizards, allowing him to secure the most prestigious position among apprentices for himself.

Now, the administrator believed Taylor had the potential to become a powerful Wizard apprentice. He might even become an even more noble Wizard someday. He was worth investing in!

"Let me give you a reminder while I'm at it. The benevolent White Wizards have specially raised many low-level monsters in a forest at the northernmost edge of our White Tower Alliance. Apprentices only need to pay a certain number of points to enter that forest and hunt low-level monsters for materials."

"After all, knowledge stored in your mind still needs practice before you can truly master it."

There was no questioning those words. They directly shattered Taylor's psychological defenses.

"Fine, I agree. But I need time. I need to gather 300 points."

The librarian said with satisfaction, "Of course I know you only became a first-level Wizard apprentice today. I'll keep this Flame Medal for you until you have enough points to exchange for it."

Watching Taylor leave the Apprentice Library and head toward the apprentice Miscellaneous Affairs Office to take on tasks, the administrator chuckled. The smile in his eyes and the wrinkles on his face looked as though they could crush a mosquito.

Then again, mosquitoes seemed to no longer exist in the Wizard World. No one knew how those creatures had suddenly angered both the Black Wizards and White Wizards so badly that they joined forces to wipe the entire species out.

The creatures that replaced mosquitoes afterward were never annoying again...

After Taylor's back vanished from sight, the librarian lowered his head, looked at the Flame Medal in his hand, opened a cabinet, and casually tossed it inside.

The cabinet was filled with magic items covered in magic runes of various elements.

Miscellaneous Affairs Office

The third-level Wizard apprentice at the Miscellaneous Affairs Office looked at the somewhat youthful Taylor, then glanced at the flame held high in Taylor's hand. At last, he confirmed that the child before him had become a first-level Wizard apprentice.

He really was remarkable. He had the potential to become a powerful Wizard.

After a brief sigh of admiration, the round-bellied, middle-aged third-level Wizard apprentice took out a list and placed it before Taylor. It contained all kinds of tasks.

Feed Wizard Zadro's Man-Beast—twice a day, 120 points per month.

Guard Wizard Vana's garden—50 points per month.

Patrol the small Monster Forest north of the White Tower Alliance—90 points per month.

Extract the Broom Witch's blood—10 points per vial.

Draw sap from the Poison Vine Tree—8 points per vial.

As Taylor looked over the tasks one after another, his eyelids twitched. None of them looked easy.

A Man-Beast had the body of a lion and the face of a human. It was highly intelligent and loved sucking out brains. According to the books, a Man-Beast was already a magical beast on the verge of advancing in rank.

Once it broke through its limit, it could become a first-level creature, much like a first-level Wizard, though it was not as powerful as a Wizard.

As for guarding a garden, a Wizard's garden was filled with poisonous mushrooms, vines, and flowers. Venom, confusion, temptation, madness, and countless other effects appeared everywhere in such gardens. Even with protective measures, it was hard to avoid being affected.

Patrolling a small Monster Forest was even more dangerous. If he encountered a monster while lacking the strength to deal with it, he could easily be eaten. He could not expect monsters to be reasonable. Even if they recognized certain tokens or symbols, if something went wrong, they would eat him all the same. Once he died, there would be nothing left.

As for the Broom Witch, Poison Vine Tree, and the others listed afterward, they were all opponents only second-level Wizard apprentices could handle. Even with certain tokens that could make them wary, the danger remained immense.

Taylor continued reading and found that the tasks suitable for first-level Wizard apprentices were not only scarce, but poorly paid as well.

He looked up at the plump manager of the Miscellaneous Affairs Office. After considering his own strength, Taylor decided to take the task of extracting sap from the Poison Vine Tree.

At the very least, he could use fire now. He should be able to deal with a tree that could not move. Besides, Taylor did not believe the Wizards would truly make apprentices with such limited strength face those monsters directly.

Sure enough, after Taylor accepted the task, the manager of the Miscellaneous Affairs Office wrote Taylor's name in the notebook assigned to that task, then handed him a round badge.

The round badge had a simple design. Its back was smooth, without the pin usually used for wearing it, while its front bore an image of the Wizards' Botanical Garden in miniature.

"This is a badge specifically for entering and leaving the botanical garden. With it, those monsters won't dare touch you. But be careful not to be deceived by them. If the badge isn't on you, no one will care what happens to you."

After explaining the badge's function and issuing a warning, the middle-aged manager handed the green round badge to Taylor.

Taylor took the badge, left the Miscellaneous Affairs Office, and headed for the botanical garden. The manager there would give him the equipment specifically used to extract sap.

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