Chapter 54
With the mental boost from meditation and the aid of transcription magic, Garrett's progress surged forward. He finished piecing together the dictionary in just two days. Eagerly, he fetched "Fundamentals of Spells," ready to see which magic he could learn.
The answer? All level-zero spells.
The book stated clearly: as long as a novice had enough mental strength, they could learn all level-zero spells.
Sounds generous, right? But even before turning the page, Garrett spotted a note scrawled in red on the margin:
"Level-zero spells, also known as parlor tricks. Congratulations, you can now be a street performer."
Garrett: "..."
He took a deep breath, another one, then shut his eyes. Adjusting his emotions, he repeated silently:
"There's no useless magic, only inept mages... There's no useless magic, only inept mages..."
Continuing until he regained composure, he opened his eyes to continue reading.
According to the "Fundamentals of Spells," based on a mage apprentice's mental strength, they could cast between 1 to 5 level-zero spells a day. Beginners could manage one, while those about to advance to official mage apprentices could cast up to five spells daily, provided they had potions to supplement their energy.
Generally, mastering three or more level-zero spells and being able to cast spells five times a day could propel one towards becoming a first-rank mage.
The author of the "Fundamentals of Spells" sternly pointed out:
"As mental strength increases significantly after advancement, it's more efficient to learn lower-level magic. Typically, qualified mages are advised not to learn too many parlor tricks during their apprenticeship."
...So, he could only pick three for now?
Thinking like this, Garrett didn't believe he belonged to the inept category.
Being a traveler, breaking through obstacles and swiftly advancing to top-tier mage status, mastering 9th-level magic effortlessly, even inventing new spells, that was the expected treatment.
Moreover, didn't he comprehend Healing on his first day here and immediately become a cleric apprentice?
Filled with confidence, Garrett sifted through the "Fundamentals of Spells," picking and choosing. The book didn't list many level-zero spells, maybe around eight or nine. Yet, Garrett found it a bit overwhelming:
Reading Magic, used to interpret magical text on objectsbooks, scrolls, weapons, etc. This spell seemed like the first weapon for learning magic, but it required a transparent crystal or prism as a casting material. Garrett patted himself down and had to set it aside for now.
Learning magic wasn't that easy. Apprentice mage beginners could only cast one spell a day. Meaning, without spending extra, he only had one chance to try per day... How many attempts would it take to master a new spell?
Three times?
Five times?
Ten times?
Ten times would mean ten days... becoming proficient would take even longer, and just like that, one or two months could pass in an instant.
No wonder the "Fundamentals of Spells" didn't recommend learning too many spells for apprentice mages.
Garrett felt a bit unwilling. He closed his eyes for a moment, carefully sensing... Huh? Can I try a few more times with my mental strength?
If his intuition was correct, maybe two or three more times...
So, does that mean I'm starting as a high-rank apprentice mage or at least a mid-rank one?
Is this a perk of being a traveler or a cleric apprentice? Whatever, if it's usable, it's good!
Excitedly, Garrett clenched his fist, then composed himself again, starting another attempt. This time, there was progress; he continued outlining the runes until the ninth stroke, just one step away from completing the symbol. He gritted his teeth; one more try!
This time, in the enhanced vision of meditation, a faint magical aura shimmered.
Success!
Suppressing his excitement, Garrett approached the bookshelf emitting the magical aura. It was quite dim, barely brighter than a household lamp, likely just useful for repelling bugs or moisture. Garrett controlled his excitement, extending his right hand towards the glow...
As if he could see through it and also as if he couldn't?
Is the aura too faint?
Garrett thought for a moment, then dashed out of the library. Rushing upstairs, just as he turned at the landing of the stairs, someone abruptly yelled at him:
"Oh, so you've come up here!"
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