The Path of Magic, by Nemesia

The Path of Magic Author

: nemesia Word Count
: 20,000

********** ... 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Part 1: 　　Bright moonlight shone on the dock, the dark sea reflecting the still bustling ships of all kinds. The fact that countless people were still unloading cargo at night indicated that this dock was a major transportation hub. 　　But strangely, in this place teeming with people, there was a small area that no one dared approach. Only a person completely shrouded in a black robe, wearing a badge on his chest, stood there, with several wooden crates at his feet. 　　Everyone living here knew that those qualified to wear such robes were likely to possess magic— a mysterious power beyond ordinary comprehension—and those who possessed the badge were even more... Only official magicians were present. 　　As night deepened, cargo ships departed the dock, earning money for their owners, while the laborers on shore received their wages from their foremen. 　　The sound of ship horns drifted from afar, and soon a small black dot appeared at the horizon. As it drew closer, the people on the dock could see just how enormous the approaching ship was. 　　The five-story-high vessel moved quickly, soon reaching the dock to prepare for berthing. The dockworkers naturally began to gather around the berth, hoping for a new round of work. 　　"This...this ship is huge, much bigger than usual." A young laborer stared at the ship, his hands unconsciously rubbing together. He thought that such a large ship must be hiring many people, which would greatly increase his chances of being selected. 　　"New brat, don't mess around," said a middle-aged laborer next to him, equally expectant. "These ships are for mages, so be very careful." 　　Upon hearing the word "mages," the young laborer's mind went blank, as if doused with cold water. His initial thought of immediately running to recommend himself vanished. He had heard too many rumors that mages were eccentric and difficult to get along with; if he accidentally angered one, he could be killed at any moment. 　After the ship docked, an old man in a long robe flew out from it. He had originally intended to hire laborers for carrying loads. But when he saw a mage wearing a one-star badge standing on the only open space on the shore, he decisively abandoned his original plan, flew over the heads of the crowd, landed some distance away from the black-robed mage, and quickly stepped forward to bow to him. 　　"Respected mage, apprentice Howard greets you. Are you Lord Eloty, a one-star mage?" Although the old man appeared much older than the other, the mage system was extremely rigorous, and most possessed one or two spells to maintain youth, so appearances could not be used to judge. 　　"That's right, I am." Eloty also removed the hood from his robe in return. "I'll be troubling you this time, sir ." 　　"It's my honor to serve you, sir." Although Howard was already in his twilight years, his long- thinking mind allowed him to discern a hidden meaning in the old man's words: "You... have you traveled on one of my ships before?" 　　"Hmm. Six years ago." Elodie picked up one of the wooden crates, holding the other out with his other hand, and the other crates, which had no handles, gradually floated off the ground. "Let's get on the ship first." 　　Six years ago, eight-year-old Elodie didn't live on this continent, but on a vast land on the other side of the ocean, known to magicians as the " Doomsday Continent." 　　Because of the lack of magical resources, magicians rarely appeared there. Those who lived there were either natives or those who couldn't survive on the "Mana Continent" and had lost hope of becoming formal magicians. 　　Born on the Doomsday Continent, Elodie was discovered to have magical talent by a magician who happened to be traveling to his hometown. The magician decided to send Elodie to study under his faction. This was why he had traveled across the ocean to come here. 　　When Elodie arrived... Upon arriving at the magician's faction, he realized he wasn't some extraordinary genius. The reason they took him in and educated him was simply because they frequently fought various monsters, resulting in a much higher casualty rate than other factions. Therefore, they would accept 　　even those with only a sliver of talent. Fortunately, Elodie possessed an advantage others lacked: hailing from Earth at the end of the 21st century, he had accidentally transmigrated into an unborn fetus, bringing with him . 　　Because he had his own consciousness even before the fetus was fully formed, and because he had fused with the bio-chip in the fetal stage, Elodie was able to control his body perfectly throughout the entire story. The result was superhuman mental strength, memory, and control, which, combined with fortuitous encounters, allowed him to survive continuous killing. 　　The Shadow of Darkness is a force primarily training necromancers and dark mages. On his first was told that these new students only had two years to learn. After two years, regardless of their strength, they would be sent to fight monsters. Only by killing a sufficient number of monsters and advancing to become a full-fledged mage could they leave . This meant that if they remained magic apprentices, only death awaited them. 　　Six years passed in the Shadow of Darkness, transforming from an innocent boy into a bloodthirsty youth. If it weren't for his past experiences of death and rebirth, and the assistance of his bio-chip, Elodie would have long since succumbed to a mad rage of killing , becoming a murderous mage. 　　"Lord Elodie, this is your room." 　　Led by an older magic apprentice, Elodie arrived at a room on the fourth floor of the ship. Half a wall was a window; opening it slightly allowed him to feel the comfort of the sea breeze.

"Looks quite nice, should be a relaxing trip." Looking at
the room, simple in style yet offering expansive views, Elodie was satisfied with the ship's arrangements and casually tossed
over .

"Making you comfortable is our duty." The old man, clearly more attentive after receiving the tip, considered
the magic stone, tossed so casually, worth almost as much as his own round trip. "Also, does
Your Excellency have any other special needs?"

"Oh? Special needs?" Elodie asked with a smile, "What special needs?"

Perhaps because he had only recently escaped the battlefield of the Shadow of Darkness, he could control himself while standing still,
but Elodie's emotions fluctuated, his habitually strong killing intent naturally surged forth.

To the elderly apprentice, the mage before him remained unchanged, still so charming and lovely, his black
eyes still shining like black pearls. But in his mind, he was like
a powerful monster he had encountered by chance during his youthful adventures, and this monster was now reaching out its claws, ready to tear him to pieces.

"Sorry, sorry." Elodie, realizing from the chip's information that he had inadvertently released his inner
killing intent again, immediately regained his composure and took control. "I haven't adjusted back to the life I had during my adventures. I'm sorry."

"No...no...it's nothing...nothing else...I, I'll go back first...to arrange
the shipping ..." the elderly apprentice stammered. His earlier thought of using special services to earn more money
had been thrown to another dimension; now he only wanted to leave.

"It's nothing, you can go back to work." Elodie, too preoccupied with his sudden burst of killing intent,
had no time to ask further questions.

"Relax, relax. It's time to go home and rest." After the elderly apprentice left, Elodie patted
his cheeks and gave the bio-chip the following command: 'Give me the best way to control my killing intent.'

'Long-distance travel, seeing open landscapes, and engaging in
activities , as well as thinking more positively.' The bio-chip gave the same response in his mind.

"Sigh..." Elodie sighed. He had followed the plan provided by the chip, making this trip to readjust his
mood . He hadn't expected to lose control so quickly, unleashing a murderous
rage at the old man. "Forget it, don't think so much. Let's look at the sea view first."

Sitting in a chair, he looked out the window. Since the ship was still at the dock, he could still see the situation on the shore
. Large numbers of men, selling their labor for a living, were working tirelessly under the torchlight, oblivious to the darkness, loading various goods
onto the ship, hoping for three meals a day to support their wives and children.

Looking at this peaceful yet bustling dock, Elodie's stiff lips twitched slightly upwards. This time,
he maintained his composure, without any hint of murderous intent.

Since entering the Shadowlands, Elodie hadn't truly slept, but tonight, in this
room where he could still faintly hear the shouts of the porters and laborers, he was able to drift off to sleep peacefully, a rare occurrence. Perhaps it was because he was about to
leave this place that he dreamed of arriving six years ago full of hope.

"Let's all get to know each other and be friends. My name is Elodie, and I'll be eight years old this year."
Five men and women sat in the cabin, lit only by candlelight. Compared to the other passengers, Elodie was clearly the
youngest looked like a child. The others appeared to be teenagers,
around fourteen years old or older.

"Velia, fourteen years old." The girl sitting diagonally in front of Elodie carefully examined the little boy
. "Why did you say you'll be eight this year? Aren't you eight? But I heard that not many places accept
people under fourteen."

"Because my eighth birthday is a month away. Hehe." Elodie reached up and ran his hand through his hair, laughing.

"Alright, you're impressive." The red-haired boy, half-lying on the floor, laughed. "My name is Fergus, I'm
sixteen. I thought I'd be the youngest, but I didn't expect to see someone not even eight yet."

"How could that be?" Vilia said coldly. "If you haven't reached the late-stage
apprentice , your chance of becoming a full-fledged mage is less than one in a thousand. Although we are
the worst apprentices, none of us will board the ship before the age of eighteen."

"Reach the late-stage mage level before twenty-two?" The oldest-looking youth among the five said with a bitter face, "
I'm seventeen this year, and I have five years left to climb from the early stage to the late stage. It seems there's no hope at all..."

"That's not necessarily true. It depends on your relationship with your faction and whether you can properly
absorb ." Vilia, the girl who seemed to know more about the mage world, said, "Do you know
what mages are called on the continent we used to live on?"

"The End of Magic Continent," the remaining boy among the five said with a wry smile. "Because there are no magic-related
resources , only apprentices who have no hope of advancing to the level of a magician and magicians who can't make a living settle there. By the way,
my name is Pande, and I'm fifteen years old."

"Yes, so even though we won't be treated as elites and taught there, we've all been able to
persevere in our training. After reaching the Mana Continent and obtaining various resources, we still have a chance to strive for advancement," Vilia
said, clenching her fist.

"That's right. If there were absolutely no hope, why would these important figures let me on board?"
The eldest of the five apprentices exhaled. "My name is Anthony, and I just mentioned my age. Although I'm not one of those
geniuses who can reside in the upper levels, I will definitely do my best to become a magician!"

"Ugh, become a magician!" Upon hearing this, the youngest among them, Elodie,
shouted in a childlike voice under the guidance of the chip, trying to appear befitting a child.

"I want to become a mage!" Following Eros, Veria uttered these words. Although she was dressed
as a swordsman with a longsword strapped to her waist, no one found it strange; instead, they were captivated by her heroic spirit.

"I want to become a mage!" Infected by the atmosphere of the other three, the remaining two echoed the same sentiment.

Morning. The ship had already left the previous dock and was sailing westward across the sea.
Elodie, the only officially recognized mage on board, had also left her room and was fishing on the deck with her rod.

"I haven't slept this well in a long time, but I didn't expect to dream." Holding her fishing rod, she quietly gazed at the sea.
Elodie thought to himself, "After becoming a mage, one generally doesn't dream anymore; if they do,
it's mostly precognitive dreams."

Six years ago, he and his
companions , wondered if anyone had achieved their goal and become a mage. Back then, they had exchanged contact
information, but the youngest, Elodie, didn't even know his own destination. Everyone could only wait for
him to contact them, but the Shadow of Darkness [Full Text] forbade communication with the outside world, so he couldn't know
what had happened to his companions from back then.

"Perhaps we'll meet. If they can't cultivate to the later stages of apprenticeship, it's about
time gave up and chose to go back; they might even be on the same ship."

The ship would stop three times on the Mana Continent, mainly carrying
apprentices . Although there were many job opportunities on the Mana Continent, the number of apprentices was simply too large. Therefore,
the ship that sailed from the Mana Continent to the End of Dharma Continent every two years always carried a considerable number of passengers.

Two days after leaving the dock where Eloti boarded, the ship arrived at its first destination port. Located
on the border of several different organizations and forces, nearly thirty magic apprentices would board here,
returning home dejected and heartbroken. This was a special service offered to Eloti by the shipping company, given his status as a formal mage, as the shipping company would specially sail to the nearest
dock to pick him up.

The fourteen-year-old mage stood on the deck, leaning against the railing, gazing at the port. This place was far more
prosperous than the dock where Eloti had boarded, with groups of dockworkers constantly appearing near various ships.

Not long after, a middle-aged woman led about thirty people towards the ship, and
the older apprentice in charge of the ship's operations flew towards them upon seeing them; these were presumably the passengers from this dock.

Eloti wasn't initially interested in this, but among the crowd of people all wearing mage robes,
one woman who looked to be around twenty years old, with a longsword strapped to her waist and constantly
looking , clearly didn't want to leave.

"The chip, the woman preparing to board the ship, is she the same Vilia from six years ago?" The boy asked
the chip .

'Mission initiated, comparison in progress.' The chip's mechanical voice echoed in Eloti's mind: 'Comparison
complete, 95% chance it's Vilia. Mental fluctuations, weapon matches the record, mental strength
increased by one degree compared to the record…'

'It's her.' Eloti said with a touch of emotion, 'Six years have passed, and I didn't expect her to still only
have the strength of an early-stage apprentice. I wonder how the others are doing.'

'Are these the people preparing to board the ship?' The elderly apprentice floating on the shore
asked .

'Yes, thirty-two in total.' The middle-aged woman possessed the magic power of a late-stage apprentice, but like the old man,
she had no hope of advancing. However, compared to these passengers, she was able to find work on the Mana Continent, avoiding
the huge expense and subsequent emptiness.

The old man looked at the group of people before him, all around twenty years old. Each time he received someone, he couldn't help but sigh
. Decades ago, he had been one of them, arriving by ship full of hope, only to have his
once-ambitious dreams shattered by the harsh realities of life. Fortunately, he had found a job that allowed him to support his family.

"Please board, everyone. However, I must warn you beforehand that there is already a distinguished guest on board.
If you displease that person, you will be responsible for the consequences." Since a formal mage
was traveling with them, the old man naturally gave this warning first.

"A distinguished guest? He's just like us, struggling to make ends meet,"
muttered a man who looked to be about twenty-five years old. Judging from his magical abilities, he was probably a mid-stage apprentice.

"Master!" The old man's decades of accumulated experience were no ordinary feat. His sudden outburst completely suppressed the
man of the same level: "That guest is a mage, a full-fledged mage, not an apprentice!"

The word "mage" stirred up a super storm in their hearts. Each of them had spent countless efforts and
tried countless methods, but they could only ever reach the apprentice level. The
boundary stood before them like an insurmountable cliff, one that they could never cross, no matter how hard they tried.

"I-I'm sorry, I misspoke." The man immediately bowed his head and apologized.
Even if as he said, was truly doomed, killing him would be a simple matter, without any repercussions.
No one was willing to offend a mage for the sake of an apprentice with no chance of advancement.

"You're really lucky," the middle-aged woman transmitted to the old man. "If you do well on this trip, you might
return with late-stage strength."

"Don't even mention it. I didn't dare approach that person," the old man replied telepathically. "That
person was indeed very generous, but it's obvious he hasn't been away from the battlefield for long. He almost
scared me to death when he accidentally released a bit of killing intent." "

Impossible, right? Where has the fighting been going lately?" As a member of the lower class of the Mana Continent, one could be
ignorant of everything, but at least one should know where the war was.

"I don't know either, but that person boarded the ship at Tal Deep Harbor. I think he belonged to an inland organization before
." With his life at stake, the old man naturally had some guesses.

"An inland organization...?" The middle-aged woman paused and said, "That's quite possible. They produce a lot of
combat , and they can often kill us even if they're two levels lower."

Looking at the dejected men and women, feeling disappointed about their future, Eloti couldn't help but think
how lucky these people were compared to those in the Shadowlands. They only needed to concentrate on their training, and they would never
encounter life-threatening battles in their daily lives. The greatest dangers mostly came from accidents during experiments.

The people of the Shadow of Darkness called these people "bookworms," who only buried themselves in their books, possessing high levels of skill but
unable to use them. Apart from killing those experimental creatures that were completely powerless to fight back, they were never stained with any
blood.

"I'll go back to my room first, and bring that female apprentice with the sword over later." Upon seeing her old acquaintance,
Elodie felt her killing intent slightly diminish, and feelings of nostalgia surfaced in her heart. Because she wanted to know about the others
, she transmitted her voice to the older apprentice.

The old man, who was talking to the middle-aged woman, suddenly heard the voice of the magician on the ship. Instinctively,
he turned to look at the ship and saw him turning back.

"What's wrong?" the middle-aged woman asked, seeing the old man's sudden turn.

"That sir said he wanted me to bring a female apprentice carrying a sword to his room," the old man said, shaking his head.

"Oh? Any female apprentice will do?" the middle-aged woman asked, covering her mouth with her hand and laughing.

"Probably not, he probably means the one who's carrying a sword right now?" The old man looked at the group of apprentices boarding the ship
, among whom was a very obvious one—the only magic apprentice carrying a sword. "I'll go back to fulfill
the mage 's instructions."

"Go ahead, perhaps you'll have learned some practical magic by the time you return."

"I hope so too."

Beside the apprentices boarding the ship, the old man used levitation to approach them: "The female apprentice with the sword,
come here."

The crowd initially looked around, searching for the person the old man had specifically mentioned, before finally settling on the only
chosen one .

"You, come with me. The mage said he wanted to see you directly."

As the two flew directly into the ship, the remaining apprentices unconsciously began to discuss why they had been given a private meeting
. Was it because of her beauty? Or was the mage an ancient figure who believed swords were unsuitable equipment for mages,
and thus needed to personally lecture them?

"Instead of standing around talking, why don't you get on the ship sooner?" The middle-aged woman standing on the shore shouted at the group of people who were
indulging their gossipy instincts.

Back in his room, Eloti sat by the window again. After several days of peaceful life and encounters with acquaintances
, he couldn't help but recall how he had come with such hope. Thankfully, he had
survived and returned home with considerable strength.

*Knock, knock, knock.* Shortly after Eloti entered his room, there was a knock on the door. The elderly apprentice in charge of shipping
said from outside, "Respected Mage, I have brought the female apprentice you are looking for."

"The door is unlocked. Let her in. You can continue with your work."

"Yes, then I will take my leave."

As the door opened, a very tall woman appeared before Eloti. Her fiery red
hair, . Although she was completely covered by a robe, her feminine figure was still discernible
, along with the distinctive longsword at her waist.

"Respected Mage, apprentice Vilia greets you." Like the old man before her, the woman
bowed to Eloti upon seeing him.

Upon hearing her name and confirming the earlier deduction based on the chip, she recognized her as
the companion who had sat with Eloti in the cabin back then.

"Sit down." Strictly speaking, the five people who were in the cabin together back then didn't have a deep relationship.
They were only grouped together due to space constraints and similar circumstances. Six years later, Eloti had long forgotten
them . Now, she only wanted to catch up on everyone's situation because of this encounter.

"No, no need, I'll stand." Vilia didn't recognize the black-haired mage before her as
the little boy from before. In fact, she didn't dare look him in the eye, fearing she might offend him.

"Then it's up to you." Eloti didn't force her to sit down. "I just have some questions I'd like to ask. If you're
willing to answer, I can answer one of your questions in return."

The opportunity to ask a question deeply moved Vilia. In
the various academies, organizations, and forces known as the Western Coastal Region, although formal mages were nominally
responsible , the actual teaching of beginner and intermediate apprentices was carried out by those who had reached the advanced level.

Students like Vilia only have one chance a year to ask questions of the formally appointed mage who teaches them. Asking their
most important questions, receiving the answers they need, and successfully breaking through their current level—this
happens every year, and is therefore called the "golden opportunity" by the students.

"Respected mage, thank you for your reply. What do you wish to ask me?" Although she had
never been able to break through to the mid-stage, extinguishing her dream of becoming a mage, Vilia still hoped
to increase her magical strength.

"You came to the Mana Continent six years ago. I want to know about the others who were on your ship back then."
Eloti thought for a moment and then added, "Not everyone, just tell me everything you know."

The overly simple question made Vilia, who had been staring at the floor, look up at the other person. Her smooth black hair reached
her shoulders, her face was as lovely as a delicate doll, and her bright, captivating black and white eyes were striking. Then, a thought
flashed through , and before she could think it through, she uttered it: "Elotti... little brother?"

"I'm sorry!" Realizing she had spoken disrespectfully, Veria immediately bowed and apologized,
explaining, "I'm so sorry, I... I don't know why I thought of an old friend, so...
so... I misspoke. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, because you guessed right." Elotti confirmed her guess.

"It really is..." Veria replied blankly. Six years had passed, and the little boy who
knew nothing had now become a fully-fledged magician; but in the same amount of time, her strength had not
progressed at all, and she hadn't even seen any hope of advancing to the intermediate level, so she could only return disheartened.

"The organization I was in before forbade communication with others, and I was only able to leave less than half a month ago
, so I didn't know about your situation." Elotti simply explained why she hadn't kept in touch with them, but
it also implied that they didn't actually have any interaction, and it was only because of a chance encounter during their years of traveling together that she wanted to
know about their recent situation.

Having lived on the continent of Mana for a long time, Vilia naturally understood the implication. The fact that she was allowed to ask
questions was entirely due to the friendship she shared with her old friend; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to obtain such
an opportunity for something as trivial as inquiring about a few apprentices.

"My lord," Vilia said with a self
-deprecating smile, "as you can see, I haven't made any progress in six years. I'm the most diligent student in the academy, and I've used every method I
could but my mental strength hasn't increased much."

Although Veria wore a smile, tears were already welling up in her eyes. She barely had the ability to enroll
, having spent a fortune of her family's wealth to acquire resources. Knowing she lacked natural talent, she had always strived
to learn and train to the best of her ability, but the harsh reality was that she remained at the very bottom. Countless others who were weaker than her, or who
started , had already advanced to the intermediate stage, while she alone struggled in the early stages.

"I'm twenty this year. Even if I continue, there won't be much progress, and there are family matters, so
I have to go back. Perhaps I'll become a swordsman," Veria said with a helpless tone, describing her current situation.

"It seems you've given up hope of becoming a mage?" Having experienced too much helplessness and misfortune in the Shadowlands
, Eloti was used to similar situations, but he could still offer some help, provided
the other party willing.

"What can I do if I don't give up... The academy said that my aptitude is not much different from that of ordinary people, except
that it is slightly better, and my mental strength is also slightly stronger. Being able to reach my current strength is already beyond expectations."
The saying "nothing is more painful than a broken heart" probably refers to Veria's current situation.

"Let's not talk about these things for now. Back then, among the five of us and the others on the ship, was anyone else able to
become a mage?"

"No. As far as I know, besides you, sir, who became a mage, even the 'geniuses' who lived on the upper floors back then
were only at the late-stage apprentice level. I heard they were all accumulating strength and resources, preparing to break through to become mages. Anthony left
two years ago . Although he was already at the mid-stage level, he had no hope of advancing, so he decided
to go back and live in seclusion.

"After Fergus and Pende reached the late stage, they said that because the organization was too small and resources were insufficient, the two of them formed an adventure team
together . The last time they contacted each other was more than half a year ago. Although they are almost at the age limit
, perhaps they can find work here, so they can stay." They made a pact at the beginning back then,
but six years have passed. Even if the others returned disappointed, they still made some progress. Only he had gained nothing,
and he didn't know how he could face his family when he returned home.

Suddenly, a crucial question occurred to Veria: six years ago, Eloti was only eight years old, and now
, having become a magician, he was the same age as her, who had traveled across the ocean to study. Thinking of the vast
difference between them, Veria felt a pang of bitterness.

"I see," Eloti sighed, then continued to sit by the window, silent, as if
deep in thought. After a long pause, he spoke again: "So, what questions do you have for me? Or
would you like to make a different request?"

With a thud, Veria knelt down, her hands clasped in front of her knees.
She, who had never given up even in the face of the most difficult circumstances, now made the decision to plead with him: "My lord, I wonder if you
could, out of our past camaraderie, accept me as your servant?"

Before Eloti could answer, Veria continued, "I know that with my abilities, I have no chance
of becoming a follower, but there are various chores to handle, and besides, I can… I can…"
Her trembling voice couldn't continue, her head bowed, obscuring her expression, but tears fell continuously
to the ground , fully expressing Veria's inner sorrow.

Eloti remained seated, quietly waiting for her to vent her emotions.

After a long while, seeing Veria's back gradually straighten and stop convulsing, Eloti spoke again:
"Stand up first."

"I…I'm sorry," Veria apologized timidly, her face still streaked with tears.

"You should go back first, think carefully about what you really want before coming back to me." The boy coldly
rejected her request. "Even if you still want to be my servant, you need to come up with a reason that will move me
. There's no such thing as completely selfless help between people."

"Um...yes, then...I'll go out then..." Vilia knew that the chance of being rejected was more than
90%, because a twenty-year-old magic apprentice still in the early stages of learning magic would be lucky to reach the mid-stage before
the age of . But for a formal magician, she would be utterly useless.

She knew very well that if the young magician in front of her wanted to take servants,
he could choose any of the mid-to-late-stage apprentices on the ship, not counting other places. Saying it was just for hope, a last resort. She was already prepared
for failure , but as she walked out of the room, tears still fell again.

"Life is unpredictable, and things rarely go as planned." Watching Vilia leave in disappointment, Elodie
could only sigh deeply. Reborn into this fantasy world, he was unexpectedly chosen by the Shadows of Darkness and became one of their
members , experiencing breakthroughs amidst endless slaughter.

Back on Earth, he was just an ordinary low-level employee. Without a degree from a top university
, he lived a life of being scolded by his superiors, managers, and customers. Long hours, low pay, he was exhausted every day
, his only entertainment being renting light, mindless novels from a bookstore.

Even though humanity on Earth had progressed to the point where most children could have biochips implanted from a young age
to in logical reasoning, the gap between rich and poor remained devastatingly large. Most people
worked simply to survive, their dreams and hopes long since vanished in the relentless grind.

This time, reuniting with Vilia and seeing her current state, along with the many
people on the ship who couldn't stay on the Mana continent, Elodie couldn't help but think of himself struggling on Earth, and the many
classmates, colleagues, and friends with similar backgrounds.

"Chip, what impact would it have on me if I took Vilia in as a servant?" Perhaps out of
impulse Seriously... I can't even handle my own affairs [full text],
yet I want to help someone else... Am I trying to help or harm them...?" "

Due to insufficient background information on Vilia, assuming she's just a regular servant and meets the minimum requirement of a mid-stage
magic apprentice , she'll need approximately four to five Spirit Potions and a year of training, with an annual salary
of ten low-grade magic stones. The first year will slow down the main progress by about one-two-hundredth, after which
it can be maintained by simply paying magic stones each year." The chip's reply appeared in her mind shortly after.

"Wake up! Although it seems there won't be any problems, the resources available to support the Mana Continent..."
" Fare, tuition, and various material expenses—she couldn't possibly be from a poor family. She's not a 'commoner,' but a '
returned student,' possibly a combination of a second-generation official and a second-generation rich kid; the waters behind her are deep." Alone
in her room, Elodie pondered.

The ship, after anchoring at the port for nearly a day, set
sail and require simple refueling, this was a regular voyage between the two continents, and
the ship exclusively operated on this route. Various goods from the Mana continent were naturally very important cargo. Furthermore, the local people
generally lacked strength and didn't need high-quality magical items. Bulk purchases kept costs extremely low,
yet they could exchange them for large quantities of precious metals—a trade that could only be described as 'profiteering.'

However, this profit had nothing to do with the passengers. The apprentices, having exhausted their wealth and found no hope
, would bring back some local specialties, but the quantity was so small that it couldn't affect the shipowner's vast stock and
variety of goods ; at most, it only slightly supplemented their families' finances.

Under the night sky, only the ship remained on the vast ocean. The moon, radiating a soft glow, had risen
high, casting long shadows over everyone and everything on board.

In the beautiful night, Veria stood before Eloti's room. She had shed
the robes of a magic apprentice, now donning swordsman's attire, the form-fitting design showcasing her mature curves. Her
high breasts heaved with nervousness, her right hand pressed against her chest, trying to calm herself.

Because of Eloti's previous private audience, everyone else unconsciously maintained a level
of politeness towards Veria, even the elderly man in charge of ship management gave her preferential treatment. Veria knew it was all
because of her ambiguous relationship with Eloti—the high-ranking magician in the eyes of everyone on the ship.
Finally managing to suppress her nervousness, Veria knocked on the door.

These past few days, Eloti seemed to have had no interaction with Veria, his daily routine unchanged
. He was sitting quietly in his room reading, not magical tomes or anything like that, but rather a
miscellaneous book, more like a travelogue. So when Vilia entered, she was slightly surprised that a mage would be reading such books.

"Is there something you need? Or have you made up your mind?" Without closing the book, Eloti looked at Vilia, whose expression of disappointment
had .

Vilia knelt again after entering, but this time, she knelt on one knee according to knightly etiquette: "
Your Excellency, Mage, Vilia thanks you for your guidance the other day. I have come to ask you something." "

Oh?" Looking at Vilia, who seemed completely refreshed and free of any trace of sorrow, Eloti was also somewhat
surprised . "I'm actually curious how you came to this conclusion."

"It's nothing..." Vilia smiled wryly, "I just faced reality and gave up on pointless fantasies."

"It's good to be able to let go. Being a swordsman isn't bad either, and I think you come from a prominent family, right
? Swordsman ranks are mainly for intimidation; you don't actually have to go to the battlefield yourself."

"There's something I need to apologize for first. I've been asking around about you these past few days," Vilia said,
still "And based on what we just discussed, I can confirm that you're not from
a noble family, and you don't know much about the situation on the End of Magic Continent. I hope I can have the opportunity to introduce you to it."

"I am indeed of commoner origin, but what's the problem with that?" Eloti readily admitted.

"The End of Magic Continent was discovered three to four thousand years ago. After continuous exploration, the
lack of magical resources attracted many ordinary people to migrate there. These people interacted and lived with the locals, becoming the ancestors of
most of the commoner class." Vilia was relieved that things weren't too different from what she had imagined; the young
mage before her was indeed of commoner origin.

"Besides, gradually, people who lost their right to reside on the Mana Continent due to various factors
settled . Most of them were also involved in magic, forming what are known as royalty and nobility." Vilia
revealed secrets unknown to the general public.

"Unfortunately, due to a lack of resources, the power inherited by magicians' bloodlines is rapidly declining.
Take my family as an example. One hundred and twenty-two years ago, my great-grandfather was an apprentice with late-stage strength, but
as you can see, as the most talented member of my family this generation, the power contained in my bloodline is so weak that I cannot
break through to the mid-stage."

"Then what does this have to do with me?" Eloti could see that Vilia was becoming increasingly nervous, and based on his past life
experiences, he guessed that what she wanted was probably related to 'borrowing a seed'. If so, Eloti was happy
to provide assistance. Having a free beautiful woman to penetrate, without any responsibility,
was a reason for a young man who didn't want to start a family to refuse.

"Your Excellency, are you aware of the classification of mages?" Veria bit her lower lip, her words not
reflecting Eloti's true thoughts, but rather taking a different turn.

"Yes, I know. Formal mages are divided into five stages: beginner, intermediate, advanced, great, and saint, with
two levels ." Eloti said with a hint of mockery, "In this vast magical world, I've only just become a beginner-level one-
star mage; it's really nothing special."

"Your Excellency's ability to become a one-star mage at the age of fourteen certainly surpasses the strength of us
apprentices . But do you know that, barring unforeseen circumstances, a beginner mage's lifespan is approximately three hundred years?"

"Indeed, no one has told me that." He had already
learned about the extended lifespan from the chip's advancement report, but with the topic shifting to this point, he wasn't entirely confident in deducing the other party's purpose.

"Perhaps this is somewhat offensive, but I've imagined myself becoming a mage at your age, how I would
arrange my long life ahead." Vilia slowly raised her head, her ample breasts swaying slightly with excitement
. "Perhaps achieving great things on the continent of the End of Magic, establishing a powerful kingdom, sounds like
a very good idea, but for a place where the highest level is only late-stage apprentice, it wouldn't actually take much
time—less than ten years.

Ultimately, the remaining days would still be spent on magical research, returning to the continent of Mana to delve into
more advanced magic." Vilia painted a very likely future with passionate conviction. "As a magical
genius, your destiny lies on the other side of the ocean."

"Alright, just tell me what you want." Eloti decided to stop listening to Vilia's roundabout
talk.

"I hope Your Excellency can give me and my family a chance to pledge allegiance to you," Vilia
said earnestly. "You will become the master of the Antel family, and our family can
handle everything for you , saving you a lot of trouble."

"It seems like you can just use my name to bully people, and I won't get any benefit at all?"
Eloti said calmly.

"No, this is a win-win situation," Vilia gave a definite answer. "Our Antel family
is willing to pay 40% of our annual income, as well as anything else we can provide, and this contract will last until
Your death."

"Do you have that much power?" Eloti looked at the twenty-year-old woman in front of him, who could actually make decisions on
such an important matter?

Vilia didn't answer immediately, but instead stood up, unbuttoned her clothes, and
took off her swordsman's uniform. Bare-chested, her large, bell-shaped breasts were exposed, while her slender waist was tightly bound by a belt on
her trousers , showcasing the beautiful lines of her lower abdomen.

"Oh? What do you mean by this? We weren't actually that close before, not the kind of life-or-death friendship
." The reborn fourteen-year-old boy stared intently at the woman performing the striptease.

"If you're willing, I can do it. On the continent of the End of Magic, no family would
refuse a mage." As she spoke, Veria, her face flushed, had returned to the state she was in when she was just born, naked as
she tried to sell to the boy: "Also, there's something else. More than five hundred years ago, our family didn't always live in the southwest of the Mana continent
, but in the central inland region."

"The central inland region?" Eloti's interest was piqued by this term. If the entire continent of Mana were a
city, what they were in was the southwestern suburbs, and a rather undeveloped one at that. At best, there were some cable
connections, and in certain locations, the signal was good enough to access the internet. The continent of the End of Dharma, on the other hand, was a desolate wilderness outside the city
, completely uncomparable in strength.

"Although so much time has passed, and our family was only one branch that reached the southwest coast, the power of
our bloodline has been almost entirely lost," Veria revealed her family's greatest secret. "However, our ancestors
left behind magic notebooks containing the insights and records of one- to three-star mages. We hope to
exchange these for your help."

Without giving any reply, Elodie extended her left hand. On the back of her hand, which Veria couldn't see, a pattern resembling
an eagle with a scorpion's tail appeared. At the same time, the same pattern appeared in her left pupil. In that instant, Veria
felt as if she had entered a wondrous world, her thoughts and feelings falling into complete darkness and stillness.

The surging magical energy caused the robe to flutter without wind, eventually parting at the clasp to reveal Elodie's
inner garment. A royal blue long dress, edged with creamy white lace, its form-fitting cut
creating an appearance that combined elegance and nobility; in modern terms, "Gothic Lolita style"
would suffice.

"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly using the power of the mark?" Not the mechanical voice of a bio-chip, but a
sweet voice appeared in Elodie's mind: "It's just a three-star magic warrior's notes, is that really necessary? If
you just study properly with me, reaching the Saint rank will be a piece of cake." "

Nonsense." Eloti was clearly wary of the sweet, charming voice. "This is
no longer your era. Of course, I must base my judgment on the current magical system."

Because of the ancestral magical notes mentioned in the conversation, Veria had already been struck by a
mysterious Due to the vast difference in strength between them, Eloti could now see Veria
's past memories through his left eye.

As a child, she followed her grandfather, descending a dark staircase step by step. At
the end was a specially crafted stone door, its hard stone showing no signs of age. The old man held Veria
's small hand, her fingertips bleeding crimson after being pierced by a silver blade. Then, the old man cut his own finger
, using their blood as a catalyst to open the obviously heavy stone door.

"Velia, this is the Secret Chamber, where the family's most important possessions are kept." The old man
looked at . "These are magic notebooks, magic tools
, and potion recipes left by our ancestors, but they can only be used after becoming a magician."

"More than five hundred years ago, we were originally a magician family in the central part of the continent. However, due to internal strife,
our ancestor was forced to leave and went to the southwest coast with others." The old man's wrinkled hand pressed on one of
the boxes. "In the world of magicians, one and two stars are called the initial stage. Our ancestor was a
powerful figure who broke through the initial stage and reached the level of a three-star mid-level magician."

Although he was only observing the recollection, Eloti could fully feel the shock in Velia's heart. A three-star
magician was considered the 'strongest' not only in the End of Magic Continent but also on the southwest coast. As far as he
knew, among the many organizations in the southwest, there were only two-star magicians. Only those belonging to branches of organizations in the central region and with
close ties would occasionally have three-star magicians stationed there.

After noting the shape of the box containing the notebook, the marks on the back of her hand and eyes gradually disappeared, and the flow of magical
elements returned to normal, as if the sudden burst of power had never occurred. As the power of the marks faded,
Veria regained her senses. She only remembered Eloti reaching out to her, and then nothing else.

"You're telling the truth," Eloti said before she could react. "You may not know
how important this notebook is, but I need to verify its authenticity first."

Only then did Veria realize she had been tricked. A sense of fear of the unknown and
envy of the powerful presence of a formal mage surfaced in her mind.

"No...no problem, and I'm telling the truth. I'm not afraid of your inspection."

With a wave of the boy's right hand, the naked Veria collapsed onto the bed, and Eloti
removed his mage's robe.

Veria, who had originally planned to use seduction, froze upon seeing Eloti's attire. The boy
before her was wearing a lavish, courtly-style dress, and coupled with his delicate and elegant face, she was instantly captivated.
She couldn't tell whether she was a boy or a girl.

Ever since being forced to wear this dress, she had always seen this kind of look whenever she was with a woman, and Eloti had long been used
to it .

Without offering any explanation, the boy leaned down and kissed the completely naked female apprentice, his hands embracing her
well trained body. She had no excess fat, and her good birth kept her skin soft and supple;
her breasts, undeformed from lying on the bed, displayed excellent elasticity.

"This dress can't be taken off, but that won't stop us from seeking pleasure." Not through words, but by
connecting their minds, Eloti let his voice resonate directly in Veria's mind. At this moment, his tongue
was launching an attack, taking advantage of the kiss to entwine with the girl's fragrant tongue.

Their tongues intertwined, their hands caressing Veria's body, and their interconnected
minds began to ripple gently, tenderly guiding Veria's inner desires.

The immense difference in divine power rendered Veria utterly defenseless. Even without Eloti's deliberate
attack, Veria's mental defenses were no match for the mental influence of a one-star mage.

Veria's mental world was engulfed in an unprecedented blizzard. The newly built, simple village house was blanketed by
relentless snowfall. The eaves and roof collapsed under the weight of the accumulated snow, and as the blizzard continued,
the unprotected interior began to crumble.

The walls, already weakened by the roof's collapse, and the beams, weakened by the drop in temperature, finally
crumbled in the fierce winds.

The collapse of the building symbolized the collapse of Veria's consciousness. In the real world, her eyes instantly lost their luster
, and she was silently manipulated by the boy, becoming a living puppet.

"Useless, she gave up so quickly." Mentally connected, Eloti immediately
recognized Veria's mental breakdown. Having spent so long in a killing-filled environment, Eloti's personality was unaffected
by this.

"Then, you shall be my pet from now on." Lifting Veria's chin, Elodie
unleashed a true mental spell on her now-empty body. The apprentices on the ship were terrified by the sudden
surge , some of the more timid trembling uncontrollably.

The blizzard had ceased, and the earth had cracked, leaving only shattered remains of the small village house.
With the aid of external magic, a large amount of clear water quickly filled the cracks, transforming into rivers and streams,
bringing life to the parched land.

Next, verdant grass sprouted from the ground, instantly transforming into a vast grassland. The remains of the small house were
lifted by an invisible hand, compressed and deformed in the air, and under the inexhaustible flow of magic, transformed from inorganic matter into the shape of
a small dog .

Unable to fly, the dog fell into the river with a splash. Initially startled, it instinctively struggled, but from
the sky ...

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