Withered Wood Town finally appeared at the edge of their vision.
It was a very small city-state.
Even smaller than Watchtower Keep.
Yet it was more prosperous than Whitecliff City.
From the air, Lin Gui and Elvia could already sense this contradictory atmosphere.
The city-state wasn't large, with dusty gray walls and low-rise buildings.
However, it had all the functional buildings it should.
Adventurer's Guild, Transport Guild, Labor Guild.
Even...
Lin Gui narrowed his eyes, looking at the tall building in the center of the town.
A magic tower.
It was built of black stone bricks, its surface covered in silver runes.
A pale blue magic crystal floated at the top, casting a soft halo under the sunlight.
The existence of a magic tower signaled the presence of the Mage Guild.
The Mage Guild was primarily active in the City of a Thousand Towers, serving various mages by providing certification and a platform for exchange.
Every class had a corresponding guild.
But no guild possessed more influence than the Mage Guild.
Beyond every Mage Guild branch being overseen by a Legendary mage, the guild also represented the holy land of mages to some extent: the City of a Thousand Towers.
Its presence marked an extension of the City of a Thousand Towers' influence.
It meant that the Magic City was watching over and protecting this city-state.
Lin Gui looked at that magic tower and asked Elvia behind him:
"Why would the Mage Guild be here?"
"Is there something in Withered Wood Town worth the Magic City's attention?"
As a former princess with real power who had held the position of Transport Political Officer for a time, Elvia should have an understanding of the various outputs of the alliance's city-states.
She squinted for a while before saying:
"Withered Wood Town is a new city-state born in the Dark Age."
"It came into being because of the existence of the Forbidden Zone, the Withered Wood Wasteland."
Lin Gui raised an eyebrow.
Elvia continued:
"The Forbidden Zone produces a type of wood capable of conducting mana. It's the raw material for various magic items as well as for making staves."
She paused.
"Although a massive amount of magic staves has flooded the market and caused their value to depreciate absurdly due to the descent of the Demon God and the excessive number of death mages..."
"The storage lifespan of magic items is far shorter than that of staves, and their use isn't limited to mages."
"Many other classes without a mana rank—and even ordinary people—can use them."
"Thus, the demand for items is immense, leaving a high margin for profit."
She looked at the magic tower.
"So it isn't strange for the Mage Guild to be established here."
"On the contrary, the fact that it was only established recently is what surprises me."
Lin Gui quirked a brow.
"Only established recently?"
"It wasn't here before?"
Elvia nodded.
"At least, not before I was exiled to Caran and lost my position of power."
"I see."
Lin Gui pushed down the doubts in his heart.
He pulled four wooden boxes from his storage space and then stored the flying vessel inside it.
Then, he mounted his oak staff and reached out to catch Elvia.
Elvia skillfully wrapped her arms around Lin Gui, lightly leaped onto the staff, and hugged his waist.
"Let's go."
The staff floated up, flying toward Withered Wood Town.
Withered Wood Town's gate wasn't large, but many people were moving in and out.
Lin Gui and Elvia landed and entered on foot.
Pedestrians came and went on the streets.
Adventurers in leather armor, porters carrying goods, and hawkers manning stalls.
There were also several people in sophisticated robes with badges pinned to their chests.
They noticed Lin Gui and Elvia.
Elvia's beauty made them look twice.
But only twice.
Then, their gazes shifted straight ahead, falling upon the mage clearly controlling the staff.
Their stares were intensely fervent.
This was especially true for the adventurers and several people wearing transport team badges.
Their gazes were so intense that Lin Gui subconsciously wrapped his mage robe tighter around himself.
He scanned the pedestrians on the street.
Adventurers, transport team members, and merchants.
There were also several people wearing standard-issue robes.
Those were the standard-issue robes of registered mages from the Mage Guild.
Deep blue robes with silver runes embroidered on the collar.
A badge was pinned to their chests—the emblem of the Mage Guild, an open book with a floating star above it.
Their robes were new and very clean.
The cuffs weren't frayed, and the hems had no patches.
Staves hung at their waists, their bodies inlaid with magic crystals that shimmered in the sunlight.
One young mage among them looked to be barely in his early twenties.
With his chin tilted slightly upward, his gaze swept over Lin Gui.
He first looked at Lin Gui's face, then at his robe.
That deep gray mage robe was washed out and heavily worn at the elbows.
His expression changed.
What had initially been an evaluation turned into something inexplicable.
It was like envy, or perhaps contempt.
Then he looked away and whispered something to his companion.
The group gave Lin Gui a glance before turning to leave.
They walked quickly, as if avoiding something unclean.
Lin Gui watched their retreating backs with a blank expression.
Registered mages referred to mages certified by the Mage Guild; most were the children of nobility, wealthy merchants, or great families.
Those individuals just now belonged to that category.
Mages who had not been certified by the Mage Guild were known as rogue mages, mostly coming from backgrounds like magic academy students, minor nobility, small merchants, or transport teams.
Mages of low-class origins who lacked supporting foundations were called wandering mages, mostly consisting of bottom-tier adventurers or mages from low and weak backgrounds.
Lin Gui, Monica, and even Selena were considered wandering mages.
This wasn't just a simple classification of status; it was a classification of the resources behind a mage.
It was the standard used to judge a mage's future.
A mage's advancement required far too many resources to cultivate.
Mages without a foundation, even if exceptionally gifted, would ultimately not become particularly powerful.
Because they lacked resources.
Consequently, the more powerful a mage was, the more noble their background tended to be.
Either the son or daughter of some high noble, or the child of some powerful existence.
Of course, there were those with exceptional magic talent who were scouted and then cultivated by prominent figures.
However, a lower-class origin was itself a source of discomfort.
Unless they married into such families to become one of them.
Lin Gui looked away.
"Let's go."
He led Elvia further into the town.
Withered Wood Town's streets weren't wide, but they were lively.
Shops were huddled together on both sides, their signs swaying back and forth.
Some sold weapons, some sold potions, and some sold magic materials.
There were also several taverns, with scantily clad women standing at the doors, winking at the passing adventurers.
Lin Gui's gaze swept over those shops.
Finally, it stopped at the door of an inn.
"Just this one, then."
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