Having listened to Instructor Marvin's explanation, Zelier had gained a far clearer grasp of spell frameworks.
When broken down, the standard of mana manipulation encompassed numerous subfields.
There was the efficiency with which every portion of mana was utilized, the circulation speed of mana, the techniques used to channel it, and so forth...
And all of these elements were tied directly to the Intelligence attribute.
It was precisely because his Intelligence had increased that he had been able to optimize the spell structure of his Fireball.
After leaving the Chamber of Serenity, Zelier and Bev went together to the old mage at the front desk to collect their Mages' Guild badges and their monthly stipends.
Unlike the Adventurers' Association, the Guild crafted even its lowest-ranked Magic Apprentice badges with exceptionally fine materials.
The badge was a small, circular white plaque, smooth and cool to the touch like fine jade.
Bev happily pinned hers to her chest, not caring in the least about the stipend. Zelier, on the other hand, carefully stowed both his coin and his badge away.
One gold coin—that was enough to cover two full months of rent.
When he really thought about it, the Mages' Guild was astonishingly wealthy.
The Blackstone Town branch alone had to have several dozen Magic Apprentices, didn't it?
That meant paying out several hundred gold coins a year in apprentice stipends alone.
And that was before considering higher-ranked mages, whose stipends were bound to be far steeper.
If one factored in all the mages across the entire Kingdom of Ther, the expenditure had to be astronomical...
Just how rich was the Mages' Guild?
Zelier could only shake his head in wonder.
Instructor Marvin had likely taken note of his commoner background and meager savings, offering him a helping hand on purpose.
Over three months, the stipends alone would amount to three gold coins.
Combined with a bit of extra income, buying two lesser-quality magic scrolls would not be out of reach.
Even though Zelier had already copied Bev's spells for his own use and had no real need to buy scrolls, he still deeply appreciated the goodwill.
*He really is a great senior.*
Having obtained his mage ranking, Zelier had accomplished the primary goal of his day, but one other matter still weighed on his mind.
A magic wand.
A warrior's gear consisted of sword, shield, and armor, while a mage's finest partner was naturally a wand or staff.
It could shorten casting times, amplify spell power, and perhaps even provide unique special effects.
Now that he had a bit of spare coin, there was no reason not to secure one for himself.
"Miss Bev, do you know where I might find wands for sale? I'd like to take a look," Zelier asked.
"Right at the Guild's exchange counter. Hmm... I don't have anything to do right now anyway, so I'll walk you over."
Leaving the General Affairs Office, Bev led Zelier deeper into the grounds.
The sky was clear and bright, and the shade of the trees filtered the sunlight. Having just passed her assessment, Bev was in high spirits, her steps light and brisk.
"You mentioned earlier that you're an adventurer. Have you ever run into any dangerous situations on a quest?" Bev asked curiously.
"I have," Zelier replied. "While we were out on a wolf-culling quest, we ran into a Mist Demon."
"A Mist Demon?"
"A fairly terrifying monster. Its body was patched together from the corpses of its prey, and it was immensely strong. On top of that, its surface was coated in a strange energy barrier that could deflect most physical attacks."
Zelier gestured with his hands. "Fortunately, it was only a juvenile and wasn't fully developed. In the end, my teammates and I managed to bring it down together."
"Whoa..."
Bev's eyebrows lifted in mild astonishment. "Then you really were lucky."
"Yeah. If an adult had shown up, I would've been dead for sure." Recalling the encounter still sent a slight shiver down Zelier's spine.
"No, that's not what I meant. I meant you were lucky to have a party like that," Bev clarified.
"What do you mean?" Zelier asked, puzzled.
"Don't you know? According to the Adventurers' Association's own statistics, mages have the highest mortality rate of any class when low-rank parties encounter formidable foes," Bev explained.
"Uh... is that so?" Zelier was taken aback.
"Of course. A powerful enemy means a fight to the death, and casualties become very likely. Everyone is only in it for the coin; nobody wants to throw their life away. Naturally, the safest choice is to run."
Bev counted off on her fingers as she explained.
"And how could a mage's physical fitness ever compare to that of a warrior, a ranger, or an assassin? Once the formation breaks, the mage is inevitably left behind at the rear.
"Besides, monsters have sharp instincts. They prioritize targeting the mages who pose the greatest threat to them... Just think about it. If your leader had chosen to flee when you encountered that Mist Demon, could you have survived?"
"I suppose... I really wouldn't have," Zelier admitted, scratching his head.
At the time, Gray had indeed wanted to run. It was Marcus who had stepped forward immediately to steady everyone's nerves and led by example on the frontline.
If the party had routed... things likely would have turned out exactly as Bev described.
Zelier would have been the very first to die.
"And to a certain extent, mages can become prey themselves... Did you know? Over a decade ago, a terrible incident took place where an Elementalist and a Holy Healer were killed while out on a quest."
Bev continued, "Although the party leader claimed they died fighting monsters, an investigation ultimately proved they were murdered by their own teammates. The others had grown greedy over the treasures the mages carried, so they ambushed and killed them."
"An Elementalist and a Holy Healer were murdered?! That's..." Zelier was left momentarily speechless with shock.
Once a mage advanced beyond the high rank, they could choose a specialized class path.
Elementalists and Holy Healers were both advanced classes, and experts of that caliber were unequivocally among the upper echelon of the Mages' Guild.
"Frightening, isn't it?"
Bev wrinkled her nose.
"That is simply reality. No matter how powerful a mage's magic may be, their physical body is still that of an ordinary person. Caught off guard in an ambush by high-tier warriors, they stand virtually no chance of survival.
"When that happened, the Mages' Guild was furious. They nearly came to open blows with the Adventurers' Association, and the King himself had to step in to mediate.
"Ever since, relations between the two factions have been icy, only thawing slowly over many years. But the repercussions linger to this day. Far fewer mages take quests through the Adventurers' Association now.
"The Mages' Guild even set up its own dedicated Commission Office so that anyone wishing to recruit mages can post requests directly there.
"Moreover, if a mage dies on a mission, the Guild conducts a rigorous investigation into the entire affair to guarantee they were not struck down by their own companions. In a way, it serves as a form of protection."
"That certainly offers some peace of mind," Zelier said, nodding in agreement.
*If I die on a quest, the Mages' Guild will come after your head. That sounds pretty satisfying indeed.*
Chapter 15