Chapter 26
Garrett hurried towards the Mage Tower with his letter of recommendation in hand.
The temple's search team returned in disarray, battered and bruised. Before reaching their destination, they had provoked a powerful necromancer, resulting in their strongest member getting severely injured. Seeing no good coming from pressing forward, they had to retreat to the temple for recovery.
As for what would come nextexploration, retaliation, or something elsethat was a matter for another time.
Even Donald, the priest who had intended to chat a bit more with Garrett, could only regretfully glance his way before boarding a carriage without looking back, swiftly departing.
With the temple guards withdrawing, they wouldn't concern themselves with the city guards. Garrett and his teammates deliberated briefly before deciding to return to Uncle Edmund's farm and rendezvous with Captain Karen. They borrowed a few mounts from Uncle Edmund, took shortcuts, and made their way straight back to the city.
Having suffered such losses, the temple guards might seek retribution. If they were to pin the blame for their failure on the lowest-ranking soldiers, they wouldn't stand a chance. The immediate plan was to rush back and report.
Even John, the young priest from the War God's temple, canceled his plans to visit home and turned back towards the temple.
As Garrett approached the city, he split from his companions and headed for the Mage Tower. Hartland City boasted only one Mage Tower, situated not within the city but atop a hill on its outskirts. The hill was densely wooded, obscuring much of the tower's spire from view.
"Is this the hidden temple in the mountains? It does have a certain charm to it..."
Garrett murmured, adjusting the reins. The chestnut mare beneath him snorted and obediently turned, ascending the mountain path.
The main road out of the city split into a narrower path leading directly to the mountaintop. This path was wide and well-trodden, evident from the deep wheel ruts, indicating frequent use by carriages. Garrett found the ascent manageable, reaching the mountaintop and arriving in front of the Mage Tower in less than a quarter of an hour.
Despite being called a tower, it was more akin to a castle, enclosed within a significant outer wall. Garrett dismounted outside the wall, took a few steps back, and gazed up:
"This tower is impressively tall... Three, no, four levels..."
Boom!
A tremendous noise startled the birds into flight, the horses whinnied, and the sturdy Mage Tower swayed slightly. Thick smoke billowed from a fourth-floor window, followed by a swooshing sound as someone was propelled in an arc out of it...
Garrett: !!!
That height! That speed! If they hit the ground and were lucky, they'd break bones. If unlucky, it'd be a snapped neck, and it'd be game over!
He dashed towards the landing spot. If it was just broken legs, he wouldn't need to assist; if it was a broken neck, there would be no use trying to help; but if it was something like sudden cardiac arrest, airway obstruction, or severe bleeding from fractures, the faster he ran, the higher the chance he could save a life!
"Um... I can't cast any..."
"Have you studied the principles of spells? 'Basic Incantations'? 'Runic Constructs'? 'Elementary Understanding of Elements'? 'Alchemy'? You do recognize magical script, don't you?"
"I... I don't..."
Garrett's head sank lower. Sure, he knew a few Latin phrases, memorized some medicine names during his medical studies; he even had a minor in German and was fluent in English from reading journals and literature. But magical scripts? Where would he have learned those?
Not recognizing magical script meant not being able to understand most, if not all, magical books. Could it be? After studying so hard for years, did I become illiterate after crossing into this otherworld?
Seeing his lack of knowledge, Mage Gelman furrowed his thick eyebrows more and more. Even with a friend's recommendation, he was growing impatient:
"...You do recognize common language, right?!"
"I do!" Garrett breathed a sigh of relief, quickly replying. Thanks to the previous owner's father, even though he had passed away early, he had at least taught the previous owner how to read. There was even a small box of books left at home, and it was with that box that the previous owner completed the most basic reading education
"Moreover, I can perform healing spells!"
"Um..."
Mage Gelman's expression softened slightly. Knowing healing spells indicated at least a basic qualification as a casteradequate mental and sensory abilities. As for the rest, well, considering the recommendation from his friend Lynn...
"Since it's Andrew's recommendation, you can attend the tower's lectures first. The fee is 10 gold coins per month,
but I'll waive it for Andrew's sake"
Thank goodness!
Garrett inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, hastily nodding. He didn't have a single silver coin on him right now, let alone a gold one. The city guard's salary seemed to be five silver coins per month?
Thankfully, it was waived. Otherwise, would he have had to turn back to the necromancer to borrow money?
"Well, you can come to the Mage Tower every day, read the books in the first level's collection freely, but no copying or taking them out. You can attend my classes, and if my apprenticeslike Elliottare willing, you can seek guidance from them. For copying spells, you'll need your own materials and my permission, and the alchemy lab is off-limits without my authorization. Let's discuss the rest once you become an apprentice mage!"
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