Chapter 9: Departure

The conversation among the mages was straightforward and pleasant, especially for Mage Feiyi. Perhaps it was because he could finally leave this place lacking fine wine, beautiful women, and sufficient spellbooks, or perhaps because returning to the military headquarters meant he could further his studies in magic. In any case, Mage Feiyi's voice was even slightly unsteady. Shaoke invited the mages to dine with him, but the eager Mage Feiyi politely declined and apologized. Shaoke told them he understood their feelings, as this rank was the most crucial turning point in a mage's life.

Shaoke said he would accompany them to the town and see them off from this cold and dangerous place.

The mages chatted incessantly along the way. Mage Loki gradually shed the dignity and mystery expected of mages, beginning to express his excitement with gestures. The two newly promoted mages slowly shared their visions for the future. In their excitement, they not only abandoned mage etiquette but even seemed to be acting more like ordinary mercenaries, which Shaoke found unbelievable. "It's just a promotion to the Mage rank—no need to get this worked up!" But after a moment's thought, he let it go, treating it as a simplified version of the story "Fan Jin Passing the Imperial Exam," a classic tale about a scholar who goes mad with joy.

Shaoke listened quietly to their conversation without pointing out any improprieties. He figured they rarely had a chance to be this happy, so he might as well let them enjoy this celebratory occasion. After all, only upon reaching the Mage rank could one truly become a small but genuine pillar of the state, gain official recognition as a mage, enjoy the generous benefits provided by the nation, and acquire rights comparable to those of nobles—even surpassing them in some aspects. More importantly, mages at this level began to possess some self-defense capabilities, reducing their reliance on soldiers to a certain extent.

Besides, when alone, Shaoke paid no heed to mage etiquette at all. In public, he forced himself into silence to maintain the mage's requisite air of mystery. The two newly arrived mages—Mage Kiya and Mage Yija—also refrained from reminding their seniors, perhaps to avoid upsetting them.

Amidst the onlookers, Mage Feiyi and Mage Loki joined a merchant's wagon train heading to a nearby small town, leaving the place where they had spent several years. From there, they would travel by carriage to the imperial capital, the location of the military headquarters. This journey would take the mages nearly three months, as mages rarely learned to handle horses and had to rely on carriages. Fortunately, the main transportation routes in the Blue Feather Empire were in good condition.

Before parting, Shaoke and the mages agreed to exchange letters to discuss their understanding of magic once they settled in the capital, promising not to forget each other. However, based on his past life's understanding of interpersonal relationships, Shaoke felt that without meeting again, their connection would likely fade over time—some things never change, no matter the world.

As the caravan was about to depart, Mage Loki, who had been excited throughout the farewell, spoke to Shaoke in a rather melancholic tone, wishing him an early arrival at the capital as a Mage-rank mage.

Perhaps due to unfamiliarity or the departure of their companions, Shaoke sensed that the two new mages were as reserved as he was. But he thought, "We'll be staying together in this place from now on as companions. We should at least try to bond, even if it feels a bit awkward." So, he invited the two mages to his cabin. By the time they returned, it was already noon. As the host, Shaoke naturally prepared a decent lunch for his new companions: a dozen slices of wheat bread, a small jar of honey, a small dish of spread, a few slices of cured meat, and a glass of snow wine—a specialty of the Misty Forest—for each mage. All of this was arranged on a silver tray placed on the desk for the guests to enjoy.

Following mage etiquette, no one spoke during the meal, unlike nobles who often discussed matters while dining. Thus, lunch concluded quickly.

After clearing the tableware, Shaoke began conversing with the two new companions. Today, Shaoke took a closer look at the two mages: Mage Yija had a slender build, with curly golden hair casually draped over his shoulders, partially covering his face. He blushed after just a few words, appearing quite shy. His robe seemed of excellent quality, with intricate golden patterns embroidered along the edges and a first-tier defensive spell, "Elemental Guard," stitched on the chest. Dozens of magic scripts were also embroidered elsewhere on the robe, suggesting he came from a well-off family. Since mage robes couldn't display noble insignias, it was unclear whether he was a noble, but Shaoke personally believed he was, or at least his family had noble status, as such robes were rarely affordable for mages still at the primary level.

Mage Kiya appeared slightly plumper than Mage Yija. His uncommon gray short hair was combed straight, giving him a spirited look. His robe, like Shaoke's, was made of ordinary silk, and his staff was also quite plain. However, he was much more talkative than both Shaoke and the other mage. Mostly, Mage Kiya asked Shaoke questions, which Shaoke answered, while Mage Yija listened quietly, occasionally managing a sentence or two before quickly lowering his head, letting his long hair hide his flushed face.

After chatting for a while, the two mages stood up to leave. They not only thanked their host for the warm hospitality but also agreed to set out together for patrol duty in the Misty Forest three days later. According to regulations, they should have started their tasks earlier, but the previous two mages' assertive presence had prevented the captain from disturbing their guidance of the newcomers. Moreover, being in the remote Misty Forest, far from administrative centers, delays in task execution were quite normal. Thus, the two new mages faced no issues for not starting their duties on time.

Soon enough, it was time for the patrol. Three days later, Shaoke packed his belongings and arrived punctually at the town's military camp, joining a squad of over a hundred soldiers. The two new mages were already there. After exchanging greetings, the squad leader welcomed the three mages, appearing quite pleased. Although this patrol mission had been delayed by over a month, having three mages accompany their squad made the leader happy for his soldiers' safety, as it provided greater security.

Since everyone had prepared their gear for the patrol, they conducted a brief final check before setting out. The team, consisting of three mages, two medics, and over a hundred soldiers, began advancing into the Misty Forest. Their sturdy long leather boots crunched on the thick snow, and the group spoke little along the way, perhaps due to the impending unknown dangers.

During the journey, Shaoke occasionally pointed out the surroundings to his two new companions and answered their questions, which he found a bit annoying. He would have preferred to walk quietly and think, but the other two didn't give him that chance. Fortunately, Shaoke had developed patience from studying spells.

"Honorable Mage Xueye, are these two your new companions? Could you introduce them to us?" The young medic hesitated for a while before approaching Shaoke, the only mage he knew, to ask his question. Shaoke apologized to the group and introduced Mage Yija and Mage Kiya to everyone. He hoped the team would offer them assistance and understanding during the mission, explaining that "Mage Yija and Mage Kiya have just left the academy and aren't very familiar with these tasks." The young medic looked excited and quickly struck up a conversation with the two new mages after Shaoke's introduction. Perhaps because Mage Kiya was more talkative, the two soon engaged in a lively discussion, which relieved Shaoke somewhat. Since Mage Yija rarely initiated questions, Shaoke thought, "Keep talking. It'd be best if you chat all the way to the campsite. If you get thirsty, I can even melt some snow for you. Heh."

"Is the academy big? Are there many people there, Honorable Mage?" The young medic and Mage Kiya gradually shifted their conversation to life at the academy. "It's huge, several times larger than this town. There are many people too—I've heard there are over a hundred thousand, but I haven't counted them precisely, so I can't be sure. It's very beautiful there, with grapevines—the Dinuolan variety—and lovely Lily flowers. Though they aren't famous, I personally think they're the most beautiful flowers. There are many other things too, but I can't describe them all in a short time." "Does the academy only train mages? If it trained medics too, that would be wonderful! Maybe I could study there as well." The young medic spoke in a tone of regret. Hearing this, Shaoke almost couldn't hold back his laughter. Fortunately, his wide cloak covered most of his face, so no one noticed. When Shaoke first arrived here, the young medic had asked him the same question in the exact same tone. Now he was using it to bond with the newcomers.

"It's not what you think, Medic. I haven't asked for your name yet!" "Eno, Eno Swan. Is there a problem, Mage? You haven't answered my question yet."