I am Snail. No, I am Adam.

Dazed from the shock, I left the tower in a haze and ran for a bit before suddenly remembering I had forgotten to ask exactly where to find the person from the Golden Flame family or who specifically to look for.

Logically, going back to the tower immediately to clarify would be the most efficient.

But Sylwia and Grey had been alone together in the picturesque watchtower, under a giant rose, for over five minutes now.

I was terribly worried about what scene I might witness if I pushed the door open, and the thought of being blocked by a barrier was even worse. Damn it all!

In the end, defeated by fear, I wandered aimlessly through the town alone.

First, I ran to the Golden Flame family mansion, where the butler informed me that the master, Viscount Golden Flame, had gone to the church. So, I ran to the church.

The Viscount told me he would personally deliver the mine map later, but the mage corps was currently under the young master's management, and he didn't know where the young master was... He wasn't even sure if the young master was really the young master anymore.

Speaking of which, why is he telling a random civilian like me this kind of thing? Do I look like a good person to confide in?

Am I really a subject of such a lord? Hah, local culture really shapes the people, huh.

No, his worries and mine are on completely different scales in every way.

Anyway, after a morning of dazed and fruitless searching, I finally found the so-called young master, the portly noble Darian.

To be precise, I found him at the old water mill by the river outside town.

The mill had been abandoned for years. He had repurposed the place as a training ground for youths aspiring to the path of magic. It seemed to be an attempt to mimic the heroic feat of the Hero Wilson, who shut himself in the watchtower instead of living in a nice house.

And now, he stood before me, asking curiously:

"Herbalist of the woods, the sun is shining, the breeze is gentle, and you have the honor of my personal reception. Why do you look so gloomy?"

"Because you clearly didn't remember my name, and you snatched the Stardust I reserved, my dear Young Master Darian."

"Of course I remember you, and I am truly sorry about the Stardust matter, my esteemed little Mr. Adam. Now, you came with the Hero's recommendation, surely not to dwell on such old grievances?"

This scoundrel was utterly unapologetic, his skin thick enough to grind flour.

I got straight to the point.

"I want to join the Obsidian Mage Corps, mainly hoping to receive some practical combat training. The recommender is naturally Mr. Wilson."

"For a talent recommended by the Hero himself, I am, of course, most welcoming. But the schedule is quite busy at the moment; I'm afraid you'll have to wait a couple of days."

I glanced inside the mill. It was practically empty, with only about seven or eight people casually casting spells at each other, seemingly engaged in light sparring.

"Will the procedure be troublesome?"

"It's not a matter of procedure. We're out of Stardust. To make you that beautiful, glowing Obsidian mage badge, we need to restock first."

This guy is the second heir to the Viscount, right? Is Silverseal Town really going to be okay in the future?

Well, considering the Viscount himself is a bit... that way and still manages, it should probably be fine.

"It's fine. Time is limited. I want to enhance my combat abilities as soon as possible to assist Mr. Wilson."

"What admirable sentiment. In that case, please follow me. We'll start with an assessment test to gauge your abilities."

I followed Darian into the mill.

Darian called out:
"Jackson, be so kind as to bring out the Resonance Crystal!"

A guard acknowledged and ran to a corner of the mill, then brought out a crystal about a person's height, set on a bronze base.

Darian led me to the crystal and said:
"This is the latest detection tool. Please don't be afraid of pain; strike the crystal firmly. It will automatically assess your magic power level and the runes you possess."

The crystal was a bright, clean white, flawless. It wobbled slightly in the breeze, possessing a softness unlike common crystals, looking quite charming.

Perfect. I really wanted to punch something cute right now.

Channeling all my frustration into my fist, I slammed the crystal into a dazed, twisted shape. Satisfying.

Stained by my impurity, the crystal gradually turned a murky deep blue. Many sloppy, strange characters also surfaced on its now soft and limp surface.

A guard held up a piece of multicolored stained glass next to the crystal. Darian compared the colors of the two and said:
"Magic capacity: 58 Lumens. Perfectly average."
"Constructive system runes: seventy-three. Perceptive system runes: twenty-six... Although a bit crude and of common grade, the quantity is truly impressive. Few professional alchemists in Silverseal probably surpass you."
After all, herb gathering and medicine-making require those two types of runes.
Moreover, learning new runes helped me clear my mind, leaving no room for other thoughts, so it became a major hobby of mine. Although I've never used most of them.
"One Void-Grasping rune. Enhancement system runes: forty-three. Healing runes: fifty-six... The grades are quite good, and they have a rather exotic flair."

Darian suddenly paused for a moment, then said with surprise:
"Five Ice Element runes. The number is small, but the grade is top-tier, possessing marvelous properties hard to replicate with common varieties. Have you formed a contract with some elf?"

Sylwia's runes were incredibly powerful, touching the essence of the concept of "freezing."
"Yes, with the one in the forest. You've met her too. The Void-Grasping, Enhancement, and Healing runes mentioned earlier were also shared by her. I haven't analyzed these runes in detail yet and basically can't use them."
"...Fate is truly mysterious. I sincerely envy you. Enhancement runes, though simple, all require years of practice to use, so I'll exclude them for now. But the ice system runes can be used immediately upon understanding. Please put more effort into them."
Right, this guy had tried to recruit Sylwia before and was apparently rejected in a rather unfriendly manner.
Thinking of this, I felt a surge of refreshing clarity, then got annoyed at myself for feeling refreshed over something so petty.

Darian continued:
"...That's all. My little sir, any omissions or errors?"
"No, it's very accurate."
"Excellent. It seems this old machine can still operate."
Wasn't it called the latest detection tool? He lies as naturally and shamelessly as flowing water.
I felt a sense of awe toward Darian and simultaneously decided to stay away from this person as much as possible in the future.

Darian summarized:
"Your rune system foundation is quite good, very suitable for practical combat."
"Just to be clear, I have almost no experience fighting people or monsters, and I don't know swordsmanship."
"Not a problem. There aren't many in the Second Corps with actual combat experience either."
"...I might need to find another teacher. Farewell."
"Please wait. Your luck is exceptional. I happen to have a mage under my command whose system is similar to yours and who is experienced. This person has even distinguished themselves in the Human-Demon War and is perfectly suited to instruct you."
"This person is passionate, though they occasionally enjoy pulverizing straw dummies for fun. Please be mentally prepared."

I said:
"Understood. Where are they?"
"Right behind you. Well then, I shall not disturb you further. Please enjoy yourselves slowly."
The damn fatty floated away as he spoke. So light on his feet.

I turned around. Before me stood a giant of a man.
He was a full two heads taller than me, his explosive muscles seemingly ready to burst the seams of his cute white robe at any moment. He was currently looking down at me.
I broke out in a cold sweat instantly. His physique alone was immensely intimidating, and his eyes were strange, lifeless like a dead fish's.
Wait, on closer look, he was clearly about to pass out.
Right, they were doing light sparring earlier. So that means...

Quick... run...

The giant man offered his final piece of advice before crashing to the ground with a thud.
A tall woman with fiery red hair entered my field of view.
She was a head taller than me, wearing a robe stained with both fresh and dried blood spots, casually flexing a fist also smeared with blood.

Go back.

The woman didn't give me a chance for a strategic retreat.
"Tch, can't take a punch. So, you're Adam, right? I heard everything you guys just said."
She quickly closed the distance, her face expressionless.
"You were recommended by Mr. Wilson, right? Are you close with him?"
My nerves tensed, preparing to take a punch or two.
"Yes. I've been learning magic from him for a year."
"Good. My name is Meri. I'll train you. In return—"
As she spoke, the woman's face suddenly flushed with a terrifying shade of... blood?
No, that description is too harsh. It was just a shy blush.
She lowered her voice:
"...Please tell me his preferred type."