NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 23
Eliza was incredibly sad. This was because there had never been a time when her requests weren’t granted until now.
Moreover, in her own view, she had absolutely no intention of being unreasonable.
She wanted to stay with her father, with her mother; she didn’t want to leave her brother Heinz or her sister-in-law Mina. She wanted to play with her brothers Mihail and Hans and meet everyone in the village. Was it such a terrible request?
She couldn’t understand and began to cry. The idea of losing the life she had always taken for granted terrified her so much that she couldn’t stop the tears flowing.
She was happy that her beloved brother Erich was with her, holding her close, promising that he would stay by her side and protect her, but…
Why couldn’t this happen at home?
She detested the magic academy. She disliked the man in red who spouted strange things, and she had no interest in magic. She merely wanted to live peacefully with everyone at that wonderful home.
Her father was strong and kind, her mother beautiful and a great cook, and her brothers were fun and entertaining. Recently, there had even been a sister who knew so much about fashion.
She didn’t want to part with the small red lizards hiding by the fireplace, the big dog that caught mice in the yard, the kind girl who always watched from the corner of her room, or the old white-haired men she occasionally saw in the barn. All of them had been kind to Eliza.
Being separated from her family and friends was unbearable for Eliza. Regardless of how much she loved her brother Erich, even if moving to the city intrigued her, even if the magnificent carriage she was riding in was like nothing she’d ever seen—she simply did not want to go.
Nevertheless, the day of departure arrived, no matter how much Eliza cried and protested.
Even wearing the fashionable dress her mother had sewn with so much care, even enjoying the rare ice confectionery, and receiving a coveted comb from Aunt Mina could not change her mind.
“Eliza, it’s alright. I will be with you.”
“No, Brother, I don’t want to go. I want to stay here.”
“This is for Eliza’s benefit.”
As though reciting a promise, Eliza’s cherished brother Erich, donned in travel attire for the first time, embraced her. His linen travel outfit was coarse and uncomfortable against her face, but his gentle warmth was the only thing she could rely on.
Still, she couldn’t understand why she had to undergo something so distressing for her “benefit.”
“Eventually, I’ll make sure we come back here. Have I ever lied to you?”
And so, all little Eliza could do was cling to her brother and his words……
—–
The term “apprentice to a sorcerer” might sound fancy, but calling oneself a sorcerer’s errand boy feels quite different and disappointing.
Lost in such trivial thoughts, I was rocking my sister, who had cried herself to sleep, in a chair in a decadent room, when I mulled over this absurdity.
“Hmm, strange, isn’t it? Generally, children should gleam with excitement at the prospect of learning magic.”
Lady Agrippina made this remark while surveying the scene, dressed in an exquisite azure robe.
“Wouldn’t it be normal for a seven-year-old to feel uneasy about leaving their family?”
“Urban areas have children as young as five working as shop apprentices. Brother?”
She teased, casually sitting into a lavishly adorned chair that was surely worth as much as our entire home.
“…But still, this is quite impressive.”
I steered the conversation away from her mocking to avoid further ridicule. Discussing the mindset of homesick child apprentices wasn’t going to get through to her.
I was currently in a room that reminded me of a small salon. Its white wallpaper, stylish round glass windows, plush carpet, and matching tables and chairs made it hard to believe we were inside a carriage.
Neither the groaning of the carriage wheels against the rutted road nor the uncomfortable vibrations from bumps made their way inside. Without being told, one might believe this was a café of some noble house rather than a carriage.
“That’s because I really put in an effort. Why should I lower my standard of living just for fieldwork? Though this is a downgrade from my usual comforts, mind you.”
The long-lived species, as though it was the most natural conclusion, smirked as she spoke. Well, I kind of understand why people dislike her, honestly.
“The spatial expansion incantation is difficult to construct, and these days, very few people are capable of it, so it took me some effort to master it. However, I do appreciate that the maintenance costs are quite low, a testament to the ingenuity of the ancients.”
It seemed this carriage was a handiwork of Lady Agrippina herself, boasting seven rooms compacted into one carriage, each switchable at the whim of the occupant. Truly, sorcerers were fearsome beings. Now I understood why they were so protective of their knowledge.
My younger sister, however, will leave home to master this very technique.
On the day of our departure, we moved away from the caravan traveling to the countryside for supplies—though the caravan leader tried desperately to hang onto his valuable traveling mage, to no avail—and boarded Lady Agrippina’s mysterious carriage, heading toward the capital of the Threefold Empire of Rain: Bearlin.
The capital city of the Threefold Empire, Bearlin, is not the largest urban center in the empire.
While it’s true that the imperial palace and the Magic Academy serve as focal points for the empire’s core functions, due to the regular rotations of emperors, industries other than commerce and finance remain relatively underdeveloped. The population is largely composed of nobles who maintain villas in the capital for court appearances and their servants, along with merchants catering to those associated with the Magic Academy.
In the Threefold Empire, power is wielded by the three imperial lineages and the seven electoral princes. As can be easily imagined, when these powerful families have their own territories, there is little need for a centrally concentrated metropolis. If regional cities could specialize according to the preferences of their lords and geographical conditions, why pursue a centralized megacity that could threaten their benefits? It’s likely the capital was constructed based on some politically delicate considerations to balance these powers and continues to thrive today accordingly.
So, we head toward the Magic Academy of such a capital city against the flow of caravans heading out for supplies. With a travel itinerary forcing us to rest at inns every night, there are even days where we barely move forward at all. What a joke—it’s going to take three months to arrive.
The thought of arriving by summer weighed heavily on my mind.
“Well, it’s cramped, but you’ll have to endure. I’ve put up with this for years now.”
If this is cramped, I can only wonder about my experience sleeping in a tight four-person bunk bed. Truly, the injustices of birth can sometimes feel very real.
“Well then… What was your name again…? Oh, Erich, wasn’t it?”
“…Yes.”
Incidentally, it’s been the fourth day since we last met, but it took her a while to remember my name. Though she openly admitted to having trouble remembering names and faces, I suspect it’s more about lacking interest in others altogether.
“You’ll be working as an apprentice, but in your current state, it’ll be quite inconvenient.”
“…Huh?”
“Then, could you come over here?”
Summoned by her little waggling hands, I approached her only to find her whispering something into her cupped right hand while blowing into it.
Ah, that’s right; unlike humans, the long-lived species doesn’t need “focusing tools” to wield magic, right?
According to the few magic-related books I could decipher in the manor, life forms either possess organs that release magical energy or they don’t—humans are the latter and thus require focusing tools to channel magic. In contrast, beings like the long-lived species can release magic through words or breath, eliminating the need for any tools.
The breath she blew into her palm swirled in harmony with her whispers, glowing brilliantly before suddenly converging. Then, in an instant, tiny beams of light gathered at her outstretched finger tip.
“Okay, this might sting a little, but endure it, alright? You’re a boy, aren’t you?”
Before I could reply with something stupid about it looking pretty, a startling remark came flying my way. Before I could inquire about its meaning, her finger touched my forehead…
The world shattered…
To put it simply, it was like hell itself.
Throughout my life as Erich, I’d experienced a fair share of pain: getting beat up with mock iron swords, falling from tall trees, getting kicked by Hortler when he was in a bad mood—the most recent being the fresh, excruciating pain of an earlobe shredded by teeth. But this pain overshadowed all those previous instances like a mosquito bite in comparison.
It felt like a metal device was being violently rammed into my skull, and my brain was being compressed under a vice. Simultaneously, my eyes burned as if aflame, and I experienced an unbearable feeling akin to being manipulated by strings on unknown nerve pathways.
The world spun, the pain thrashed, and my senses twisted. It was as if my very being were being processed in a blender and a compressor simultaneously, and then disseminated across the world, transcending the mere term “pain.”
Under the illusion that these agonies would persist forever, in reality, not even a moment seemed to have passed. Was my [Lightning Reflex] accidentally triggered by the shock? Lady Agrippina’s blink appeared agonizingly slow before me.
And then, as though compressing all time into that blink, the torturous sensations vanished from me…
“Khaah…!?”
That is, until the lingering aftereffects caused my body to convulse, my stomach to churn, and my urge to vomit to intensify. To avoid dishonoring Lady Agrippina’s fine carriage, I swallowed hard. I was perilously close to reuniting with my mother’s hearty breakfast that morning.
“Alright! Congrats! You opened your eyes, right?”
As the pain subsided and I prepared to protest what had been done to me, those words aligned with a popup that appeared at the edge of my vision.
Magic Aptitude Unlocked.
“Huh…? Wh-what is this…?”
Glancing at my status in a hurry, I saw “Awoke” noted beside both my [Mana Capacity] and [Instantaneous Mana Capacity], with several previously dormant magic-related traits now activated. Although many skills were still locked, it was already quite an upgrade.
What… what exactly had just happened?
“You’ve awakened to magic. Welcome to the world of mages!”
Agrippina stood tall, chin up, as if to command praise, donning an arrogant grin.
…Hold on… Is this really okay…
—–
While I was grappling with lingering pain and confusion, Lady Agrippina casually began explaining the inner workings of the mage community, something outsiders normally wouldn’t know, since, as an apprentice, I was supposed to be informed.
“Mages” is what the common folk call them, though that’s not what they prefer to be called.
They call themselves “mages” or more formally, “sorcerers,” as they are all learners of extraordinary techniques associated with the Magic Academy of the Threefold Empire.
Sorcerers use either magic or sorcery depending on the situation, and being called a “mage” wrongly suggests they use only magic, a point they often complain about.
Although magic and sorcery are supposed to remain secrets and mysteries, they aren’t entirely unknown to the world.
The reason being that most people with the “capacity for magic” typically awaken to it naturally once they encompass a certain level of magical energy. Often, these individuals independently discover methods to control it and incorporate it into their professions.
For instance, there are potion makers distinct from healers who use magic to create more effective medicines, gaining repute as skilled doctors and residing in villages, towns, or even ancient towers—essentially witches.
Additionally, some traders utilize magic in their businesses, such as those from caravan stalls who make and sell ice confections—practitioners with just a bit of magical prowess.
Among these distinctions, people using magic practically in daily life rather than conducting research are colloquially referred to as “mages,” though explaining the fine difference between them and the “sorcerers” to the general populace proves futile, leading to the acceptance of “mages” in common parlance.
“So, it’s not that you have to be officially recognized by the Magic Academy in order to use magic for business?”
“Exactly, if that was the case, we’d never be able to keep everyone with minor magical abilities imprisoned, and it’d be impossible to charge everyone an annual fee of 30 drachma anyway.” Did I really reach my late forties without knowing this?
Not every magic user is affiliated with the academy. To obtain a proper license, one must either graduate from the academy or be officially apprenticed with a registration fee of 30 drachma per year as an apprentice to a certified mage—like Eliza.
The reason for such stringent guidelines stems from the potential danger posed by unchecked magical abilities in the hands of those who might misuse them, unless they are rigorously tutored by either an official mage or at the academy…
“So, if you’re wondering, I’m training you as my errand boy. Think of it as a deal where you gain knowledge of magic while working for me.”
“Ah, I see… That’s how it works, isn’t it?”
As an apprentice, I was essentially granted the status of a “mage” in the true sense for the purpose of labor, not to delve deeply into the arcane mysteries of sorcery but to merely function as a practical user of the craft.
“And with that, read this.”
Before I could process the book summoned with a snap of her fingers, I sighed heavily…
What exactly were those five years and the event flags set by that old man all about…?
—–
Tip: The difference between “mage” and “sorcerer” is significant in the public consciousness. Just as self-declared titles like “nutrition expert” or “therapist” can be claimed without any real qualifications, any person can self-label as a mage. However, sorcerers are state-recognized professionals certified by the Magic Academy, much like how only qualified individuals can claim titles such as “doctor” or “lawyer.” While minor magical assistance might be requested by deputies, official commissions usually come only to certified sorcerers, who are the only ones allowed to display the magic insignia in their establishments.
With that, we jump into the story of magic awakening and the apprenticeship chapter of a mage’s life.
Still, “Hexe” and “Zauberer” might be less familiar, so perhaps these terms would gradually shift to more understandable terms like “Magician” and “Wizard” for better comprehension.