Central Square.
At the very center of the Dawn Empire, two majestic and solemn statues stood tall.
As Ning Busan passed by, he stopped in his tracks and looked up at the two statues.
The statue on the left was of a king.
He wore a magnificent robe and a gem-encrusted crown, holding a book in his left hand and gripping a scepter in his right, his gaze deep and far-reaching.
He was the founding emperor of the Dawn Empire—Leo.
Gazing at Leo's statue, Ning Busan recalled how the Dawn Empire had been established.
Ten thousand years ago, during the xeno invasion, the Human Race was fractured, killing one another to fight over resources.
To beat the game, Ning Busan had to unite the Human Race to fight against the xenos, so he decided to unify the continent by force.
Later, he met Leo.
Leo was in charge of strategizing, while Ning Busan was the muscle, striking wherever Leo pointed. Together, they quickly conquered the continent.
After the Dawn Empire was established, Ning Busan still had six other accounts to grind levels on, so he had no time to manage the empire.
Thus, he installed Leo onto the imperial throne and shirked his responsibilities.
He had always thought Leo was just a quest-giving NPC!
Ning Busan guiltily shifted his gaze to the statue on the right.
It was a general clad in heavy armor.
He gripped a spear in his right hand, its tip pointing straight at the sky, while his left hand rested on the hilt of the sword at his waist. His expression was resolute and determined, his eyes seemingly flashing with a cold light.
The pedestal of the statue recorded the general's lifelong battles, big and small, and his illustrious achievements.
As well as the general's name—Louis.
Ning Busan almost choked on his own spit.
Louis!
Wasn't that his Hero persona?
What's more, Ning Busan realized his own face actually looked about seventy to eighty percent similar to Louis's statue.
This was truly... bad!
Hurriedly leaving the place, Ning Busan comforted himself in his heart: It's fine! It's fine!
There are so many look-alikes in the world. As long as I keep a low profile, no one will ever associate me with Louis!
...
Meanwhile, in the royal palace's mausoleum.
In the deepest part of the mausoleum sat a massive, ancient coffin.
The coffin was tightly wrapped in several thick chains, with pitch-black runes faintly visible on them, flickering with a dim light.
Suddenly, a clicking, rasping sound—filled with madness and utter bizarreness—echoed from inside the coffin.
“Louis, long time no see—”
...
Mage Association.
In the South District of the Dawn Empire stood a grand, spire-like building that soared into the clouds.
Ning Busan walked into the Mage Association, his heart filled with beautiful hopes for the future.
He wanted to become a top-tier mage. That way, he could set up a magic circle to connect to another world, and maybe find a way back home.
This time, the class he chose was—Mage!
People were coming and going in the hall, making Ning Busan look completely out of place.
He wore his newly bought linen shirt and cotton trousers, looking neat and clean.
However, compared to those exquisitely dressed nobles, he looked somewhat laughable.
Ning Busan walked up to the male receptionist and said, “Hello, I would like to join the Mage Association.”
The male receptionist first noticed his handsome face, but after seeing his attire, he curled his lips in disdain.
Just a commoner.
The receptionist said with polite detachment, “Sir, if you wish to study magic in the Mage Association, you must pay one gold coin per day.”
Ning Busan was dumbfounded.
On the Landia Continent, the circulating currencies were only copper coins, silver coins, and gold coins.
1 gold coin = 100 silver coins; 1 silver coin = 100 copper coins.
Paying one gold coin a day was equivalent to paying ten thousand dollars a day in tuition in modern society. Why didn't they just rob people?
Let alone commoners, even ordinary nobles couldn't afford it.
If he remembered correctly, the Mage Association was originally established by mages to share magic experience.
Ten thousand years later, magic had become a luxury that only nobles could access.
Considering his tight financial situation, Ning Busan felt he should find a job to support himself first.
Just as he was about to leave, a mocking voice sounded from behind him.
“To think someone who doesn't even have a wand wants to study magic. How ridiculous!”
Ning Busan turned around and saw a man with a face full of disdain speaking.
The man wore an expensive robe, exquisite leather boots, and held a magnificent wand.
A very typical noble outfit.
The male receptionist welcomed him with a beaming smile. “Viscount Phil, are you here to advance to an Intermediate Mage?”
On the Landia Continent, noble titles from highest to lowest were duke, marquis, count, viscount, and baron.
No one dared to slight such a young and promising noble.
Phil raised his head proudly. “That's right. I'm about to become an Intermediate Mage.”
Then, he looked at Ning Busan and said in a harsh, biting tone, “A commoner should act like a commoner. Is this a place you can just wander into?”
Ning Busan frowned and retorted, “Is there a rule that commoners can't study magic?”
Phil sneered, “There's no rule saying commoners can't study magic, but commoners don't deserve to.”
“What's wrong with commoners?”
A cold, raspy voice rang out.
Ning Busan looked toward the source of the sound and saw an elderly man slowly walking down the stairs.
He had silver-white hair and wore a dark blue robe embroidered with golden magical runes, with a magic pendant hanging over his chest.
Time had carved deep wrinkles onto his face, but they only added a touch of composure and dignity.
Except for Ning Busan, everyone in the hall bowed simultaneously and greeted respectfully, “Your Excellency Saige.”
There were six ranks of mages: magic apprentice, Novice Mage, Intermediate Mage, Advanced Mage, Archmage, and Grand Archmage.
And Saige was one of the only two Grand Archmages on the Yadilan Continent.
He, too, came from a commoner background.
Saige walked up to Phil and asked once more in a chilling voice, “What's wrong with commoners?”
Phil's face turned pale. His lips quivered, but he couldn't utter a single word.
Saige was revered by all mages and sought after by all nobles.
However, he had always stayed on the top floor of the Mage Association, possessing an eccentric personality and a distaste for socializing.
Phil never expected to run into him, let alone under such awkward circumstances.
Phil pointed at Ning Busan and explained to Saige, “Your Excellency Saige, I was only addressing this commoner who came to cause trouble in the Mage Association. I meant nothing else.”
Ning Busan was amused by the absurdity. “I'm causing trouble? What did I even do? You were clearly the one who provoked me first!”
Saige scrutinized Ning Busan, a hint of contemplation flashing in his eyes.
Today's divination result was that it was a good day to go out, and that there would be an unexpected harvest.
His intuition told him that this young man before him, with his pure gaze, youthful energy, and love for magic, might just be that unexpected harvest.
Saige pointed at the table in the center of the hall and said to Ning Busan, “Do you see that crystal ball?”
“If someone can make it glow, they can enter the Mage Association to study without paying any price.”
On the table sat a massive, crystal-clear magic crystal ball.
Ning Busan hesitated for a moment, then walked over and placed his hand on the crystal ball.
The crystal ball did not react at all.
Rate on N.U.
