The Exchange

"But a situation like this brings about negative side effects as well... Because the commission fee charged by the guild's commission office is so steep, only quests that strictly require a mage ever get posted here." "And quests of that sort are generally quite high-tier, so Magic Apprentices are completely useless for them, and even low-rank mages don't have much of a place." "To relieve the plight of low-tier mages who can't earn money, the Mages' Guild introduced this subsidy policy, allowing members to collect a certain amount of cash each month based on their mage rank." "The Mages' Guild really has had a convoluted history..." Zelier couldn't help musing. No wonder people in the Adventurers' Association found it novel to see a mage taking on quests. As they spoke, the two had already arrived at the Exchange. As it turned out, even a prestigious, lofty place like the Mages' Guild grew bustling and heated the moment money was involved. Long display cases stretched across the trading hall, exhibiting a diverse assortment of goods. Varicolored mana crystals, desiccated exotic plants, monster cores radiating energy, potions with unique effects, and ancient tomes of every description. Figures in robes bustled past the display cases, exuding the shrewd, calculating air of street merchants. A clamor of bargaining and the ceaseless clinking of coins filled the air. Copper coins? They were virtually nonexistent here. Silver was the bare minimum. Scanning the hall, Zelier could even spot numerous transactions casually running into dozens of gold coins. You really couldn't be a mage without money. "From the most basic blank parchment to high-rank spell scrolls, crystals that rapidly replenish mana, and all kinds of rare materials..." Bev's tone held a touch of pride. "As long as you have the coin, you can buy anything related to mages here." Bev was not exaggerating. Merely sweeping his eyes over the counters left Zelier utterly dazzled, his feet practically glued to the floor. They were all treasures... "All right, let's not waste time here." Bev tugged at Zelier's sleeve. "Business comes first. You'll have plenty of time to browse later... There are lots of shops selling wands, and it's easy to get overwhelmed on your first visit, but I know a good one. Follow me." Guided by Bev, Zelier reluctantly tore himself away and wove through the crowd. At the far end of the hall stood several small doors of differing styles. Bev pushed open a glowing mahogany door. The moment they stepped inside, the clamor outside was shut out by an invisible barrier. The atmosphere instantly turned serene and peaceful, punctuated only by the crisp chiming of wind chimes hanging by the door. The shop was smaller than expected. There were no shelves inside, only two rows of standing wand racks holding dozens of wands in various shapes and designs. Looking farther in, an elderly, gray-haired woman sat behind the counter. She had a kindly face and showed none of a salesperson's eager enthusiasm, merely making a casual gesture indicating they should feel free to browse. "Take your time and browse. The prices are all marked underneath." Choosing a wand never required much talk anyway. No matter how eloquently a shopkeeper extolled their wares, nothing beat holding one in hand and testing it yourself. Only what fit was truly the best. A wand was primarily composed of three parts: the wand base, the fittings, and the wand core. The base affected how smoothly mana flowed through it. The core determined which types of magic could be amplified. For example, a wand with the core of a fire lizard would drastically amplify fire magic. A wand whose core was made of the rare mineral "Heart of the Earth" would amplify earth magic. The fittings were mostly mana-conductive metals such as mithril or adamantine, which helped seamlessly integrate the core and the base. Zelier paced before the standing racks, his heart sinking further with every glance. None of the wands on display... cost less than three digits! He even spotted a wand crafted from an aged oak base with a nature crystal core, priced at an astonishing six hundred gold coins! *Hsss...* Zelier instinctively took a step back, terrified of accidentally damaging something—even if he were sold by the pound, he couldn't afford to pay for it. "What's your budget?" Bev whispered. "Three gold... Three gold and fifty silver at most," Zelier said through gritted teeth. After receiving his apprentice stipend, Zelier had a grand total of four gold and three silver on him, and he still had to keep some aside for daily expenses. *Dude, how is your budget so exact down to the silver?* Bev shot Zelier an astonished look. *You dared step into a wand shop with that little pocket change?* "In that case, let's not look at finished wands. Go pick out a wand base instead." Bev decisively offered her advice. "While a base definitely won't work as well as a completed wand, its strength lies in being cheap, and it still provides some boost to magic... In any case, it's better than bare hands." So the two wandered over to a secluded corner of the shop. Piles of wand bases were stacked here—selected pieces that had only undergone rough processing, with no fittings or cores attached yet. Though still expensive, Zelier was at least eligible to do some shopping. After browsing back and forth, he finally settled on an ash wood wand base—priced at three gold coins. There was nothing remarkable about an ash wood base; it offered only the most basic mana amplification and a slight boost to casting speed, practically entry-level among entry-level mage gear. Yet, as Bev had said—it was better than nothing. After paying for the base, Zelier felt a sharp pang of heartache. Too expensive... His gaze casually brushed past the crimson wand at Bev's waist. That texture, that luster... It had to be worth at least a few hundred gold coins, right? *No wonder mages are so easily targeted when out on quests...* Zelier muttered inwardly. Having bought the base, the two left the Exchange. On their way back, however, Zelier's attention was caught by a thunderous booming sound. Looking toward the noise, he saw an immense circular stone structure resembling an ancient Roman colosseum. "What place is that?" Zelier halted. "Oh... That's the Sparring Arena." Bev was clearly used to the commotion. "It's where guild members spar with magic, and occasionally members preparing for promotion to low-rank mage are assessed there." Magic sparring... Hearing those words, Zelier instantly grew excited. Not because he wanted to jump in and fight himself, but because he could leech more magic for free. "I want to go check it out!" Zelier spoke up immediately. "Are you really that excited...?" Seeing Zelier eager to have a go, Bev couldn't help but chuckle. "Follow me. From the sound of it, things should be pretty lively today." Following a spiral staircase, they mounted the viewing platform. From that vantage point, the entirety of the Sparring Arena lay before them. It was a colossal arena over fifty meters in diameter, its floor and surrounding walls crafted from solid granite.