"I already told you, I can't pull strings for you, you damned bastard! Get out!"
Taylor had just submitted the task of collecting Fire Lizard scales when he arrived at the Apprentice Library and heard Oak's furious voice. A whirlwind suddenly rose from the ground and flung an unlucky fellow straight outside.
Watching the unfortunate man stagger away in humiliation, Taylor raised an eyebrow, pushed open the Apprentice Library's door, and saw that Oak's face still bore traces of anger.
"What was that about?"
Seeing Taylor, Oak irritably waved a hand. He took two cups from beneath the counter, poured them each a cup of water, handed one to Taylor, and placed the other before himself.
"Just a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice with almost no hope left. He's nearly thirty already, yet he's still stuck at this stage and hasn't been able to construct his fourth wizard model. His life's basically reached its end."
Oak shook his head. After reaching Level 3 Wizard Apprentice, he had failed in his attempt to advance to Level 1 Wizard, suffering irreversible mental damage. That was why he had become the librarian of the Apprentice Library.
"He kept begging me to let him exchange for a book on boosting wizard mental power at a lower point price. He wanted to take one last shot, but he didn't have enough points. Knowledge involving the mind is expensive."
At that, Oak curled his lips, though it was unclear what he was mocking. Perhaps it was the overconfident unlucky fellow from before, or perhaps his own failure.
Seeing the faintly mocking smile on Oak's face, Taylor asked.
"Then why did you give me half off that wizard artifact?"
"Because you're worth investing in. You need to understand that a boy around nine years old becoming a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice represents exceptional wizard talent."
Oak lifted the cup before him, took a sip of hot water, and continued.
"Did you really think it was because you were cute? Or that people like us are interested in nurturing juniors? Give me a break. Tutes from the Miscellaneous Affairs Office and Gili from the Miscellaneous Affairs Office—ordinary apprentices wouldn't even get the chance to meet them."
"They're like me. We have no possibility of advancing further, yet we hold the fattest positions among the apprentices. If we want to protect our posts, we have to invest in powerful wizard apprentices. Even if they don't become wizards, becoming our friends would still be a deterrent. And once they become noble wizards, even the things they casually hand out would be enough to benefit us for the rest of our lives."
After hearing Oak's words, Taylor felt no dissatisfaction. One of the basic rules of wizards clearly stated that everything had its own laws, and the root of those laws was gain and loss. For every benefit one enjoyed, one had to pay a price.
Equivalent exchange was the truth most revered by wizards. If one gained benefits now, one would inevitably have to repay them later.
"Then when I become a powerful wizard someday, I'll definitely repay the help you've given me."
Looking at Taylor's youthful yet exceedingly earnest face, Oak burst into laughter. He took a small pouch of black powder from an inner pocket of his clothes, scooped out a spoonful, placed it into an even smaller cloth pouch, and handed it to Taylor.
"That's exactly what I was waiting to hear. Keep this safe. Whenever you feel mentally exhausted, or even under mental strain, take out about half a fingernail's worth, put it in a cup, and mix it with hot water."
Taylor accepted the small cloth pouch and looked up at Oak, who immediately explained.
"This is rare even among wizard apprentices. The Miscellaneous Affairs Office doesn't have anything like it. It relieves mental pressure and exhaustion. A wizard I invested in gave it to me long ago, but I have no idea where that wizard is now. He hasn't come back in years."
This really was good stuff.
Taylor's eyes seemed to light up. He hurriedly tucked the small cloth pouch into the inner pocket at his chest, then anxiously asked.
"After I use it all up, can I buy more from you?"
"That little pouch costs 100 points. This time, I'll treat it as a gift... just give me 40 points."
"I really thought you were giving it to me. Didn't you say you were investing in me?"
"Giving you a discount already counts as investing in you. You should know that there's no such thing as getting something for nothing in the wizard world. Everything is an equivalent exchange. Stop talking and give me the points."
Only after reluctantly paying 40 points did Taylor remember why he had come.
"Oh, right, Oak. I nearly forgot what I came here for. I want to exchange for the wizard model of Black Mist and a copy of Basic Wizard Runes."
A very sensible choice.
Black Mist was often used to obscure an enemy's vision or to escape, making it extremely practical.
Wizard runes were an extension and further manifestation of a wizard's power. They could be used to create wizard formations, wizard artifacts, wizard puppets, and more. They could be said to be the vessels of wizard power.
Oak nodded, then turned and entered the library, retrieving two books.
"The wizard model for Black Mist is 125 points. Basic Wizard Runes is 100 points."
"Why aren't these two discounted?"
"These are clearly priced by the great wizards. The Flame Medal and the black powder were private assistance from me. How could they be the same?"
"Oh."
"Don't forget to return them in fourteen days."
"Oh."
Watching Taylor's departing figure, Oak opened another cabinet, which was filled with the same little pouches.
Young people really were easy to fool...
After returning to his small room, Taylor immediately began studying the newly acquired wizard model.
"There are sixteen mental power nodes and four wizard runes."
Taylor carefully studied the explanation of the wizard model. Black Mist had one more wizard rune and five more mental power nodes than his first wizard model, Lesser Fireball.
This also meant that the model was more complex, consumed more magic power, and was more likely to cause accidents when connecting the model.
According to the book, the four wizard runes respectively represented vision, smell, hearing, and mist. This meant that once the spell was cast, it would block the target's vision, smell, and hearing, while taking on a mist-like form.
After about three hours, Taylor felt his head growing heavy and groggy. He immediately put down the book, used his index fingernail to scoop out a small amount of black powder from the little cloth pouch in his inner pocket, and mixed it with hot water.
After drinking the pale black liquid, Taylor immediately felt his mind become exceptionally clear, as though the fog that had shrouded his thoughts had vanished in an instant.
"This really is good stuff. Time is precious—I have to make the most of it."
Before you continue