Opening his eyes, he was greeted not by the crude canvas of a tent, but by a reassuring wooden ceiling.
He had slept wonderfully.
Judging by the sunlight pouring through the window, it was nearly midday.
Zelier stared blankly at the ceiling for a while before slowly sitting up.
A deeply relaxing, dreamless sleep had substantially restored his physical condition.
With a flicker of his eyes, the status panel emerged, its numbers having shifted slightly.
The parsing progress of Flowing Mist Veil had reached 4%.
*Four percent in a single day, huh... That means parsing it completely will take more than twenty days. What a grind.*
Formula Deduction truly required time to scale. Had he chosen Spell Surge instead, it would have bolstered his immediate combat power on the spot.
His gaze shifted downward. The enigmatic Grand Creation remained stubbornly at 0%.
Zelier flopped back onto the bed, turning his thoughts to what he should do today.
As for taking on quests at the Adventurers' Association... there was no rush. The money on hand would keep him comfortable for a while.
Besides, the original owner's first venture had been recklessly foolhardy—bringing only a dagger for a weapon, and next to nothing in terms of protective gear.
It was only thanks to the mission target being wild wolves, and Marcus and Gray holding the line against the Mist Demon, that things hadn't gone terribly wrong.
He needed to be thoroughly prepared for his next excursion.
There was also the matter of his mage assessment to attend to.
Zelier was eager to explore this world's magical framework.
From the former host's memories, Blackstone Town possessed a branch of the Mages' Guild; out of timidity and self-doubt, however, the youth had never dared approach them.
Now that he had chosen the path of a mage, he would inevitably have to deal with the organization in the future.
Perhaps he might even catch sight of high-tier spells being cast, giving Formula Deduction material to analyze.
"Alright... I'll take a trip to the Mages' Guild today, and get myself evaluated while I'm at it," Zelier muttered as he rolled out of bed.
After a quick wash, he enjoyed a meal of minced salt pork paired with roasted potatoes before leaving the inn.
His first destination, however, was not the Mages' Guild, but a clothier.
His current outfit was undeniably shabby. Though not quite down to the level of a vagrant, it was hardly much better.
Coarse homespun cloth stained with wolf blood and mud left him looking wild and disheveled.
At the Adventurers' Association, no one cared—nearly everyone dressed that way—but the Mages' Guild would never tolerate such attire.
Those high-and-mighty mages might very well chase him out like a beggar.
Standing before a full-length mirror, Zelier took in his new look.
He had chosen a gray, long-sleeved belted tunic matched with black linen trousers and mid-calf soft leather boots.
Though it was a fairly common ensemble, Zelier's impressive Charm stat of 46 clearly made all the difference.
Years of farm chores had not weathered his face into rough, sallow skin; his complexion remained fair.
A low body fat percentage granted him a sharp jawline and clean facial contours. Coupled with soft features, his black hair and dark eyes gave him the striking, refined appeal of a handsome youth.
In the mirror, he looked far less like an adventurer and far more like a young academy instructor.
"Not bad at all." Zelier smoothed his collar and gave a faint smile.
He bought the outfit for five silver coins, leaving his remaining savings at three gold and fifty-three silver.
After asking for directions and winding through a few streets, Zelier finally arrived at his destination.
Compared to the Adventurers' Association, the Mages' Guild was undeniably grander and far more luxurious.
It was not a solitary building, but an expansive compound of several structures enclosed by a perimeter wall, its entrance framed by a massive arch of white stone.
Even the guards standing watch beneath the arch appeared far sharper in both bearing and equipment than the sentries stationed at Blackstone Town's gates.
Zelier drew a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Halt, please."
A guard raised a palm. "Present your identification."
As usual, Zelier produced his adventurer badge.
The guard took it, looked it over, and furrowed his brows in mild confusion. "No badge issued by the Mages' Guild?"
"This is my first time visiting the Mages' Guild," Zelier replied. "I'm here today for a mage evaluation."
"Please wait a moment."
The guard turned and rummaged through the guardroom beside the arch for a short while, emerging with a small crystal sphere.
Following the guard's instructions, Zelier rested his palm against the crystal.
With a slight nudge of his mana, a soft glow sprouted from within the somewhat cloudy stone.
*A little tool for detecting mana, it seems...* Zelier reasoned inwardly.
"Very well. You may enter."
The guard stepped aside and pointed the way. "The General Affairs Office, which handles mage rank evaluations, is over that way."
"Thank you." Zelier gave a nod.
The grounds of the Mages' Guild felt rather quiet. Glancing around, Zelier spotted only a few people strolling by at long intervals.
This was only natural; compared to other professions, mages were inherently rare.
Had Blackstone Town not possessed two prized resources in the Blackstone Vein and Ashwood Forest, the Mages' Guild would never have established a branch here—such privileges were typically reserved for major cities.
Crossing the lawn, Zelier arrived at the General Affairs Office indicated by the guard.
Inside lay a spacious, bright hall, the air suffused with the pleasant scent of old parchment and books.
The receptionist on duty was an elderly mage with a long, white beard, slumped over the counter and practically dozing off.
"Hello," Zelier called softly to rouse him. "I'd like to undergo a mage evaluation."
The old mage didn't even lift his eyelids; he simply pointed a lazy finger toward a bench nearby. "Wait over there for a bit."
Following the gesture, Zelier noticed a girl already seated there.
She looked roughly his age, dressed in a well-tailored, pale purple robe. Long, beautiful curls of golden hair cascaded down her back, and a delicate crimson wand was hitched at her waist.
Sensing the commotion, the girl tilted her head slightly, her gaze meeting Zelier's.
*Sapphire blue eyes... Quite pretty.*
That was Zelier's first impression.
He gave her a polite nod before sitting down a few empty seats away.
Perhaps finding the wait tedious, the girl took the initiative to speak.
"Hey, are you here for the evaluation too?"
"Yeah." Zelier nodded.
"I'm Bev Alberti. And you?" she introduced herself generously.
"Zelier."
"Zelier..."
Bev turned the name over on her tongue, an inquisitive note creeping into her voice. "No family name... So you're not the son of a noble house, then?"
"That's right, I'm just a commoner." Zelier gave an amused chuckle. "I taught myself some magic and figured I'd try getting evaluated."
Chapter 12