"Slane Theocracy?!"
The expressions of both the black-robed youth and the blue-robed magician shifted slightly as they turned their gazes toward Sakeer, their eyes filled with surprise.
The Slane Theocracy—the most powerful of the human nations—had deep ties to the legendary 'Six Gods.'
Its influence extended far beyond its borders, granting it a special status among other countries.
For this old man to suspect Sakeer of being a member of the Slane Theocracy was unexpected.
"Not really."
Sakeer's response was calm, though he was somewhat surprised by the assumption.
The elderly man's deeply wrinkled face remained impassive, his rough, gray nails tapping lightly against the paper resting on the counter.
"I already know what happened just now."
His voice was flat yet firm, carrying an air of undeniable authority.
"Young man, since you made this paper, can you produce another batch?"
His eyes—dull with age yet still sharp and discerning—fixed on Sakeer, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
Sakeer met his gaze without hesitation.
Despite the dense aura of experience and power the old man exuded, Sakeer's interest only deepened.
The reactions of the black-robed youth and the blue-robed magician suggested that this elder held a high-ranking position within the Adventurers' Guild.
More importantly, something about him reminded Sakeer of Lizzie Bareare.
A veteran mage.
And, most likely, a Magic Caster capable of third-tier spells.
With that thought, Sakeer spoke softly:
"Papermaking."
The moment the words left his lips, the second-tier 'Papermaking Technique' activated.
In an instant, 700 sheets of pristine, flexible white paper materialized in the air—
Rustle!
The sheets fluttered down in a cascade, forming a neat stack on the counter.
"It's… real?"
The black-robed youth stared in disbelief, his breath catching in his throat.
Meanwhile, the old man's eyes gleamed with interest as he reached out and plucked two random sheets from the stack.
Carefully, he examined them, comparing their texture, weight, and consistency before running another set of tests.
Over and over again.
Until finally, he murmured:
"Good."
"Surprisingly good."
For the first time, the strict, unsmiling elder allowed a faint smile to appear on his weathered face.
"The distribution of magic power in each sheet is incredibly even. Not a single defective product."
"This isn't just paper—this is refined alchemy-grade material, ready for direct use."
Pausing for a moment, he studied Sakeer intently before adding:
"Even among my disciples, this level of craftsmanship is rare."
As he spoke, the deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed ever so slightly—
A sign of genuine appreciation.
"For someone your age to refine a second-tier spell to this degree… quite remarkable."
Sakeer was momentarily taken aback.
"Magic power distribution? Defective paper?"
He had never considered such things before.
To him, the 'Papermaking Technique' was just another basic utility spell. If necessary, he could simply spend a skill point to enhance it further.
To think that even at the second tier, the technique still had imperfections…
"Strange."
But that wasn't the main issue.
What truly intrigued him was the way the three people in front of him reacted.
The black-robed youth, the blue-robed magician, and now this esteemed elder—
All of them treated this paper as though it were far more valuable than he had initially assumed.
Had he underestimated its importance?
"Teacher!"
The black-robed youth suddenly spoke, his voice rushed and slightly trembling.
"He only bought a zero-tier Papermaking scroll from us one month ago!"
"There's no way he could've mastered the spell this quickly—let alone reach the second tier with such perfect execution!"
His eyes darted toward Sakeer, suspicion glaring through his uncertainty.
"He must have some… ulterior motive!"
His voice wavered slightly, but the hostility behind it was unmistakable.
"Albert."
The old man's indifferent voice cut through the black-robed youth's protests, silencing him instantly.
A flicker of disappointment flashed in the elder's eyes.
"Even now, you still don't understand..." he murmured. "This matter was never about proving a point."
The air in the hall grew heavy as his sharp gaze bore into Albert.
"I've warned you before—a magic caster's greatest asset is not hard work, but talent."
"And right now...you are not showing any.""
His words, delivered with chilling finality, echoed through the space.
The blue-robed magician had already explained everything to him—
And while the old man found it difficult to believe that Sakeer had reached the second rank of Papermaking Magic just by using a scroll…
That didn't matter.
"Whether he has an ulterior motive or not..."
"It makes no difference."
"What truly matters is the talent he has displayed at his age."
"..."
Albert's face was drained of color.
His lips trembled, as though he wanted to argue—
But against the elder's blunt judgment, no words came.
His fists clenched at his sides.
Yet, in the end… he remained silent.
And then—
"Young man."
The old man turned his gaze to Sakeer, his expression unreadable.
"Are you interested in becoming my disciple?"
Albert's knees nearly buckled upon hearing it.
His entire body went stiff, despair flickering in his eyes.
The blue-robed magician, standing behind the elder, looked equally stunned—his eyes widened in both shock and concern.
Sakeer, however, merely raised an eyebrow.
"You are...?"
His tone carried a hint of bemusement, as if he were entirely unfamiliar with the old man's identity.
The blue-robed magician visibly stiffened before exclaiming:
"Do you even realize who you're speaking to?! This is the Vice President of the E-Rantel Magician' Guild!"
"One of the only three people in the entire Re-Estize Kingdom capable of crafting third-tier magic scrolls!"
"Master Belori Vanov Grigory Bertkin!"
The long-winded name lingered in the air, yet it only made Sakeer feel… disconnected.
"Why does that sound so unnecessarily complicated?"
The name reminded him of a certain middle-aged man he'd encountered at the Adventurers' Guild.
The thought made his heart jolt slightly—
Could it be him?
Before Sakeer could say anything, Belori suddenly let out a hearty chuckle.
"Hahaha."
Seeing Sakeer's genuine lack of recognition, the stiffness in his expression softened slightly.
"So, you truly have no idea who I am?"
"Interesting."
Shaking his head, the elder dismissed the formalities.
"Forget about calling me 'Master'—I have no need for such titles."
His gaze locked onto Sakeer once more.
"The only thing that matters is this—are you interested in coming with me?"
Sakeer's thoughts raced.
A third-tier Magic Caster was considered an elite among human spellcasters.
If he recalled correctly—Theo Rakheshir, the leader of this very Magician's Guild, was also a third-tier caster.
This was the Magician Guild, not an enemy's territory.
As long as he wasn't dealing with someone who could wield fourth-tier magic, he wasn't in any immediate danger.
And besides—
"A master scroll-maker?"
Totally unexpected.
It had only been a short while ago that he'd managed to get both an alchemist and a pharmacist from Nfirea—an acquisition that had already been a huge gain.
In Sakeer's original plan, most auxiliary professions like these were meant to be acquired much later.
Yet now—
A golden opportunity stood before him.
Sakeer saw no reason to refuse.
With a slight nod, he turned to the little Barghest at his feet.
"Wait outside."
The creature obediently obeyed, curling up near the entrance.
Then, without hesitation—
Sakeer followed Vice President Belori up the stairs.
The first floor of the Magician's Guild had been cold and quiet, filled with tension.
But as they ascended to the second floor, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
Sakeer was immediately greeted by the sight of numerous Magic Casters, each clad in robes of varying colors and styles.
Some wore ornate magical garments, while others were dressed in simpler attire.
However—
The overall number of people here was far fewer than in the Adventurers' Guild.
Despite that, the moment they noticed Belori, their reactions were immediate—
They paused mid-step, turned, and respectfully bowed their heads.
Whispers followed as curious gazes shifted to the stranger trailing behind him.
Vice President Belori led Sakeer through a long corridor, passing several rooms filled with magical researchers and scholars.
Instead of climbing higher, however, they reached a staircase on the opposite end of the hall—
And this time, they went down.
Sakeer quickly realized—
They were entering the lower floors of the Magician' Guild.
The air grew thicker, carrying a faint, unsettling scent.
A strange mix of metal, ink, herbs, and something vaguely fishy permeated the space.
It wasn't overwhelmingly unpleasant, but… distinctly unnatural.
His gaze swept across the room.
Scattered throughout the chamber, more than a dozen spellcasters were moving about, each deeply engaged in their work.
And then—
Ding!
Without warning, a series of notifications flashed across Sakeer's attribute panel:
[Discovered First-Tier Magic: "Dissolution"]
Casting Requirement: Spell Level 1~7
Conditions Met. Consume 1 Skill Point to Learn?
[Discovered First-Tier Magic: "Direction Detection"]
Casting Requirement: Spell Level 1~7
Conditions Met. Consume 1 Skill Point to Learn?
[...]
[Discovered First-Tier Magic: "Odorless"]
Casting Requirement: Spell Level 1~7
Conditions Met. Consume 1 Skill Point to Learn?
One by one, the messages piled up.
(End of Chapter)