Chapter 183 The Frustrating Reality

The mage who greeted Shaoke was not the same Elder Mage as before, but a young one. That Second Tier Mage did not promptly recognize Shaoke's rank and asked with some puzzlement about his purpose. "Mage, what can I do for you?" he said, inviting the guest to sit on a nearby chair.

"I'm looking for two mages serving here: Mage Feiyi and Mage Loki. I believe they should still be here." Looking at the mage before him, Shaoke suddenly felt he appeared very young; his boyish look could not be concealed by his robe. After speaking, he produced several common gold coins and handed them over, hoping the other could help him search.

The Second Tier Mage took the coins without hesitation, then retrieved a thick ledger. "I haven't been serving here long and am not yet familiar with the mages here, but I can check for you," he said, quickly flipping through the ledger. After a moment, he added, "They are still serving here, but they are not currently at the academy. They are on leave for another month before returning."

The news that the two mages were not here left Shaoke feeling a bit let down, but he still thanked the other. He then inquired about the Elder Mage who had served here previously, once again giving the mage a few common gold coins. The other obligingly answered Shaoke's question.

"He has left this place," the Second Tier Mage said, hesitating slightly before accepting Shaoke's coins again. "Word is the military assigned him to his hometown, where he will teach some ordinary children basic magical knowledge." He then asked if Shaoke had any other matters.

After hearing the response, Shaoke asked nothing further. However, he still wrote a letter there and asked him to deliver it to Mage Feiyi and Mage Loki. That Second Tier Gray-robed Mage, having received Shaoke's coins, readily agreed. Seeing everything completed, Shaoke then left.

The area around Mist Academy was not as bustling as the center of the imperial capital. Few ordinary pedestrians came here; mostly, there were many Low-rank Mages and some merchants active in the area. Of course, there were also a small number of low-ranking nobles continuing to recruit mages they considered promising and supporting them. However, the support provided by those nobles was only slightly better than that of the Mage Guild.

Watching the mages entering and exiting taverns or inns in groups, Shaoke felt a pang of regret. He knew he had missed the time to network with some of the better mages.

After staying alone at the academy entrance for about a Magic Hour, Shaoke bought some food at a small tavern nearby and finally caught a carriage to the Mage Guild in the imperial capital. He wanted to see Female Mage Wodun; it had been many years since he last saw her, and nearly a year since he received any letters from her.

After getting off the carriage, Shaoke took several deep breaths, finally settling his nerves. Seeing the large number of mages before him, Shaoke merely tightened his cloak, pulled down the brim of his hat as much as possible, and proceeded inside.

The two Fifth Tier Mages guarding the entrance only glanced casually at Shaoke before letting him pass. After all, a mage's spiritual power or mana fluctuations could never be completely concealed. Even if Shaoke did not belong to the Mage Guild, they still allowed mages to enter. This was not like the military department's library, which only permitted mages belonging to the military to enter and browse or borrow books.

When a young female mage working behind a long counter heard Shaoke's request, she shook her head regretfully and told him, "If you do not have her specific address, we cannot search for her. Moreover, we have no female mage here named Francis Walton." After speaking, she turned to attend to other mages who had come to inquire.

Hearing the female mage's answer, Shaoke felt somewhat dissatisfied. "Isn't the address I just gave detailed enough? I found her there before," he said, raising his voice. However, the female mage merely glanced at Shaoke briefly, motioned for him to wait, and continued answering another mage's questions.

The patience a mage should have in dealing with certain matters had largely vanished from Shaoke. Unwilling to wait there, Shaoke once again loudly stated his request and glared fiercely at the male mage who was still questioning the female mage, hoping the other would stop such pointless inquiries.

Faced with the irritable mage, the female mage could only offer an apologetic smile to the other mage before turning to Shaoke. "A Seventh Tier Mage lives there, not the Third Tier Mage Francis Walton you mentioned. I don't think I need to repeat this answer," she said, staring intently at Shaoke's dry, cracked lips visible outside his cloak. She hoped this hot-headed mage before her would understand her meaning.

"Can you tell me when Mage Francis Walton left here? There must be a record of her," Shaoke said, then waited somewhat anxiously for the female mage's reply. However, her answer still disappointed him.

"We are not authorized to access the records of mages who have left here. I think you can try searching elsewhere," the female mage said with a smile, trying her best to appear gentler. "I am very busy now," she added, nodding to Shaoke before turning back to her work.

After hearing the explanation, Shaoke felt annoyed that he had not asked about the female mage's position after her promotion. Still annoyed, Shaoke had no choice but to search the hall alone for any sign of Female Mage Wodun. He eventually asked other female mages serving there and followed the directions given to find the address she had provided before.

Unfortunately, the mages guarding that place flatly refused to let Shaoke enter, as it was the residence of Seventh Tier Mages, and moreover, Shaoke was not a mage belonging to the Mage Guild. Therefore, even when faced with the coins Shaoke offered, the guards still refused his request, even denying a request to pass a message.

Left with no other option, Shaoke could only wander aimlessly in some of the publicly accessible areas of the Mage Guild, hoping to spot Female Mage Wodun there. Unfortunately, even after nightfall, Shaoke had no success. After inquiring with many mages, they all told him there was no female mage named Francis Walton there.

With no other choice, Shaoke left the Mage Guild and wandered on the bustling streets. From time to time, squads of cavalry passed by on the wide streets. These cavalrymen were all in black armor and carried long spears. Even when encountering mages crossing the road designated for military use, they would not slow down in the slightest. At such times, the mages would quickly cross to the other side before the cavalry arrived or step back and wait for the Black-armored Cavalry to pass.

The night grew deeper. Most merchants and commoners on the streets had returned to their dwellings to escape the increasingly biting cold wind. Shaoke seemed unaffected by the cold and continued walking aimlessly on the streets.

Just as Shaoke was about to look for an inn to rest, a squad of cavalry stopped beside him and called out to him. "Mage Xueye?" a clear female voice spoke his name. "Let's return to the military department together!"

When Shaoke turned his head and saw the woman who called him, he realized it was the same female mage who had accompanied him to see the superior officer at the military department that morning. This female mage was riding a tall horse. Seeing Shaoke turn his head, she immediately dispelled her uncertainty, dismounted, and repeated her words in a more certain tone.

Facing the female mage's suggestion, Shaoke immediately refused. "I believe a mage's right to choose the legion they will serve in cannot be taken away by anyone," he said, continuing to walk forward. "Even if an agreement was signed initially, as far as I know, mages are free to transfer between subordinate legions within a single army." After speaking, he twirled his staff a few times and added, "I only wish to go to Blizzard Thirty-third Legion. I think this legion suits me."

Shaoke's stubbornness left the female mage following him somewhat helpless. She quickly caught up with him and stopped his advance. "Although that mage rejected your suggestion, I believe he will agree to your request in a few days," she said, then explained on behalf of that mage: "He's just a bit old-fashioned, that's all. Well, just a little."

"I will only accept the military department's appointment after my request is agreed to. Otherwise, I will not return there," Shaoke said, lightly waving his staff to signal the female mage blocking his path to move aside. He showed no fear despite her being a Fifth Tier Mage.

"This is not a request; this is a blatant threat," the female mage said, slightly stepping aside to let Shaoke pass, raising her voice. "The mage assigned to handle the Blizzard Legion's distribution this time will absolutely not agree to your request. If you persist in your idea, you will be violating the original agreement."

"Even if I violate the agreement, so what?" Shaoke suddenly turned and stared at the female mage. The frustration he had suppressed all day could no longer be contained; he vented it all through words onto the female mage before him. "If you think I've violated the agreement, you can come and kill me. I don't think you have the right to kill a Fourth Tier Mage who has just left the Death Mage Corps." As he spoke, Shaoke ignited the flame at the tip of his staff without chanting a spell and gave it a light wave, using this to indicate his other identity to the other party.