Chapter 12

Al first headed to the Revi Trading Company. North 1st Street, where the main store was located, seemed to be a gathering place for grand mansions and large shops, with many ornate buildings. Most of the buildings had signs at their entrances displaying the names of the stores and the products they sold. Among them was the sign for the Revi Trading Company, but his eyes were fixed on a sign of another store that read, "Deals in spellbooks."

"I have to go in..."

In his pocket, he had not only the gold he had saved up over time but also the reward money for saving the Revi Trading Company's caravan from bandit attacks, the bounty for defeating the blood-soaked bandit leader, and the loot from the bandit extermination that Barbara had shared with him, totaling about 20 gold coins. The store seemed to deal not only in spellbooks but also in magical items, but the interior was not very spacious, with only sofas and tables arranged. As he entered, a man who appeared to be a clerk came out from the back of the store and bowed politely.

"Welcome."

"Hello. I'd like to ask about spellbooks."

The clerk tilted his head slightly. Spellbooks were expensive, and it was natural for him to be surprised that Al, who looked young, was interested. However, this attitude lasted only a moment, and he quickly switched to a polite demeanor. He gestured for Al to sit on the sofa, and Al sat down uneasily. The clerk, seemingly unconcerned, sat on another sofa diagonally across from him.

"We have a wide variety of spellbooks. Our store is affiliated with the Mage Guild, so you can rest assured about the quality of the spellbooks. What kind of spell are you looking for? Do you have any specific spells in mind?"

A spellbook is essential for learning spells. They can be discovered in ancient ruins or written by mages. Both can be of poor quality or counterfeit, so spellbooks with a quality assurance certificate from the Mage Guild are recommended.

"Sleep spell, paralysis spell, or flight spell. Do you have any of those?"

All of these were popular spells in the capital. According to Al's memory, while the capital's Mage Guild often ran out of stock, the sleep spell and paralysis spell were priced at 20 gold coins, and the flight spell at 30 gold coins. He thought they might be a bit cheaper here, where there were many adventurers. However, the clerk's answer was that they had stock, but the sleep spell and paralysis spell were 25 gold coins, and the flight spell was 40 gold coins. Al frowned at the prices. Seeing this, the clerk explained that in this city, not only magic but also weapons and armor used by adventurers were 20-30% more expensive than in the capital. The reason was that the rewards for slaying goblins, lizardmen, and other barbarians and monsters were higher, leading to higher incomes for adventurers, which in turn made the items they bought more expensive.

Al was disheartened and thought about not buying a spellbook immediately. He would probably have a chance to go to the capital eventually. Since it would take a few weeks to learn the concealment spell, he could get it later without rushing.

"How about the popular shockwave spell or the magic tornado spell? Both are 35 gold coins."

The two spells the clerk recommended were both offensive spells. The shockwave spell creates a conical attack from the palm, and the magic tornado spell creates a spherical attack centered on a designated point. Both are flashy spells that can attack multiple targets at once, making them popular. However, Al didn't have enough gold for either.

"Then, how about a second-tier spell, the transport spell? It's 18 gold coins. It's very popular around here."

The clerk looked pleased. Al had never heard of the transport spell and asked what it was. The clerk explained that it creates a black disc that follows the caster, and items can be placed on the disc for transport. When Al asked how it differed from the telekinesis spell, the clerk explained that the disc can be maintained for about three hours without concentration.

"Isn't that similar to bringing a donkey?"

Al's question made the clerk shake his head vigorously.

"Try putting dirty barbarian or monster corpses on a donkey. It's a hassle to clean up afterward. Besides, all livestock need food and water, and they can slow down or stop if the road is bad. There's also the risk of them being attacked. With this spell, none of these issues arise. Plus, the disc won't collapse even if you load it roughly. I've heard that it can even handle the caster doing a handstand."

The clerk's explanation was professional, fluently explaining the benefits of the spell.

"I think you only need to carry corpses when you need meat. And it takes about half a year to learn a second-tier spell. Is it worth it? How much weight can the black disc carry?"

Al was still skeptical. A donkey cart could carry about 50 kg, and while it wasn't suitable for rough terrain, it could be obtained for about 5 gold coins. Was it really worth 18 gold coins and the time to learn it?

"Have you been in this city for a short time? I think you'll understand once you've been active here. The disc is about 1 meter in diameter and can carry about 30 kg. With more practice, you can carry more."

The clerk was confident. After some thought, Al decided to buy it. Given the size of the store, it seemed trustworthy. The clerk nodded happily, brought out a luxurious box containing the spellbook from the back of the store, and received 18 gold coins from Al in exchange.

"Thank you."

The clerk saw Al off to the door. Al put the newly bought spellbook in his backpack, tightened his face with a slight smile, and checked his clothes for dirt before entering the door of the neighboring Revi Trading Company.

"Hello, my name is Al. I had some dealings with your trading caravan the day before yesterday. I would appreciate it if I could speak with Chairman Revi or Luella."

The clerk nodded after hearing Al's story. It seemed the message had been conveyed. The clerk immediately led him to a reception room in the back of the store. The Revi Trading Company was much more lively than the neighboring store, and the reception room was well-decorated with flowers and other thoughtful touches. Soon, Chairman Revi and his guard, Desmon, arrived together. Al stood up quickly.

"Thank you for coming, Al. I hear you handled the mission for Lord Narech well. Barbara praised you highly."

Chairman Revi gestured for Al to sit and took a seat in front of him. Al, slightly nervous, looked around and slowly sat down.

"I'm glad it went well. I'm intruding on your time, so thank you."

"It went well... I hear you're much more skilled than an average mage. Barbara said that with you, most things are possible."

"That's because Barbara is skilled. I'm still a beginner."

Al smiled wryly and denied it. Desmon, standing beside him, shook his head as if looking up at the sky. Chairman Revi looked at Al intently.

"I see, I understand your thoughts. But I find it a bit lacking. When I was your age, I was much more ambitious. You should have more confidence. Objectively, I think you did a great job. I heard that Barbara arranged the reward for the bandit extermination. Was there any problem?"

"Well... yes, I received a good amount at the guard station."

Hearing Al's answer, Chairman Revi nodded slightly.

"Good. Let me ask you one more thing. How about working for me? Since you're from the same intermediate school as Luella, I can trust you. I can offer 2 gold coins per month as a living allowance. If you lack confidence in your skills, you can also train with my mercenary group. I think it's a good offer."

Al was surprised by Chairman Revi's offer. It was not an offer typically made to a 15-year-old who had just graduated from school. If he lived in, he would also get meals. For someone his age, a living allowance would usually be just pocket money, and 2 gold coins was an exceptional amount. After thinking for a while, he tightly closed his mouth and shook his head.

"I appreciate the offer very much. Thank you. But I'm sorry, I still want to study magic."

Chairman Revi and Desmon looked at each other in surprise and then at Al again. However, he no longer seemed to be wavering. Chairman Revi couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"I see, I see. Luella said you were an oddball, and it seems to be true. I'm very disappointed. If you change your mind, please let me know. By the way, I heard you plan to work as an adventurer in Lester. Have you found a place to stay yet?"

"I plan to stay at the 'Red-Faced Sheep' inn for a while."

Chairman Revi glanced at Desmon to confirm. Desmon nodded, indicating he knew about it.

"Understood. I think Lord Narech will want to meet you. I'll ask him to send a messenger. You should expect to hear from him within a few days, so please return to your inn at night during that time."

"Thank you. I will. Thank you very much."

Al smiled and nodded.

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