Chapter 31: A New Beginning

Chapter 31: A New Beginning

As for the specific obligations he would have to bear, Guo Ze didn’t bother explaining them to Li Wei.

He glanced toward the three doors at the far end of the hall and said, “The red door on the left leads to the treasure vault. The blue one on the right is the library. The golden door in the middle opens to the upper levels of the mage tower—only full mages may enter.”

“Items in the vault can be exchanged using contribution points. Books from the library must not be taken outside—only apprentices and full mages are allowed to read them.”

“The library also holds spellbooks. Reading those requires spending contribution points.”

Upon hearing this, Li Wei’s eyes lit up.

He quickly said, “Let’s go see the library.”

Pushing open the great blue door, a flash of light enveloped him—and Li Wei vanished from the hall.

Guo Ze smiled faintly, then turned and left the third floor of the mage tower.

Li Wei’s reaction was hardly surprising. Most apprentice mages, upon hearing of the library, rushed there without hesitation.

The blinding white light gradually faded, revealing before Li Wei a vast, circular library.

Everywhere he looked, books surrounded him. Shelves lined the walls, packed tightly with tomes.

High shelves required ladders—or magic—to reach. In the center stood towering bookcases, their tops piled high with stacks like miniature mountains.

Where had the Maple City Mage Tower acquired so many books?

There must have been millions here—unimaginable wealth in a world of magic.

Li Wei saw many apprentices, even fully robed mages, seated among the piles, lost in their own worlds.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Books flew through the air, now diving down into some heap, now rising from a pile and returning to their shelf.

Only then did Li Wei realize someone had been buried beneath that stack all along.

He stepped deeper into the sea of books, searching for the spellbook section.

He pulled one down.

*Zeroth-Rank Spell—Mage Hand*

He tried to open it.

Words shimmered across the cover:

“Spend 20 contribution points to unlock access once.”

He glanced around—no one was watching.

Carefully, he returned the book to its place, a faint smile touching his lips.

At last, he had the chance to learn new spells.

Apprentice mages could only learn spells through the Hand of Lotha—a rigid system.

But Li Wei wanted to save money, to learn without exposing his uniqueness.

Now, finally, he had found a way.

Here, no one would care how many times he consulted a spellbook before mastering a spell.

Still, twenty contribution points remained a hurdle.

There were two ways to earn them—completing tasks or making donations.

Performing duties for the tower earned contribution points.

Donating gold to the tower did as well.

Most noble-born apprentices and apprentices alike took the second path—buying their way forward.

A hundred gold coins might be more than an ordinary person earned in a lifetime.

But for most noble families, it was a bearable cost.

If a hundred gold bought a single spell, many nobles would gladly pay.

Li Wei, however, could master a zeroth-rank spell in a single try. He wouldn’t need a hundred gold—just twenty.

“Save up and buy spells,” he thought.

His hand brushed the wand at his belt.

Selling it might easily net him twenty gold.

But he shook his head. “No, not yet. Firebolt and Invisible Armor are enough for now.”

He left the library, intending to return to practice.

But just as he reached his old doorstep, he froze—his door stood wide open.

“Burglars?” he murmured in surprise.

Then again, unlikely—this was the mage tower. How could thieves get in?

A few commoners emerged, carrying worn furniture.

Seeing Li Wei, they quickly set down their loads.

“Good day, Apprentice Li Wei,” they greeted.

“What are you doing in my room?” he asked.

One hurried to explain, “The steward said you’ve become an apprentice mage and moved to the apprentice quarters. He told us to clean this place out—next week, a new apprentice will move in.”

“All your belongings have already been packed and sent to your new room by the steward. What’s left are just old furnishings—we’re clearing them for new ones.”

Li Wei waved a hand. “Then carry on. I’m leaving.”

He ran back to the third floor of the mage tower, seeking the magical steward.

“You moved my room?” he asked.

The steward nodded. “Per tower regulations, apprentices reside in single rooms on the second floor. All your possessions have been delivered to your new chamber by magical servants. You now live in Room 219.”

“Within the tower grounds, simply call my name through your magical insignia, and I shall hear you.”

Li Wei nodded. “Understood.”

Arriving on the second floor, he wandered until he found his room.

Using his insignia to unlock the door, he stepped inside.

A package sat neatly on the table.

The room was spotless, not a speck of dust—walls inscribed with a dust-repelling ward.

Everything was provided: bed, desk, wardrobe, private toilet…

He’d visited Guo Ze’s room many times; this one resembled it closely.

Two rooms, a living area, and a bathroom.

The study and bedroom were separate, each with windows overlooking the plaza outside the tower.

The entrance opened into a small sitting room. The bathroom lay between the corridor and the bedroom, containing a large wooden bathing tub.

The study lay at the very end.

Li Wei stood by the window of the study, gazing out at the square below, his heart light with joy.

Being an apprentice mage truly made all the difference.

Yet another thought stirred in his mind.

Walking here, he had noticed room numbers starting from 200, all the way to 218—each one occupied.

Room 219 was not the final number, but beyond it, every chamber stood empty.

So, up to now, there were only twenty apprentice mages in Maple City?

And that count included Li Wei himself.

Over two hundred thousand people in Maple City, and merely twenty apprentice mages.

It meant that even becoming an apprentice mage was a one-in-ten-thousand feat.

"So becoming an apprentice mage really is that difficult!"

In the afternoon, Li Wei went to the Spark Literary Society to meet Jimmy and collect his February payment.

He also informed Jimmy that he had moved out and should no longer be sought at his old address.

Jimmy exclaimed in surprise: "Where has Mr. Li Wei moved to? Are you leaving the Mage Tower?"

Li Wei replied: "No. I’ve become an apprentice mage and now live on the second floor of the Mage Tower."

Jimmy’s face turned pale with shock.

"Wait—how old are you, Mr. Li Wei?"

"Probably fifteen."

"So young—and already an apprentice mage?"

Jimmy sighed deeply. "Mr. Li Wei, you ought to write a legend of mages, not tales of knights!"

Li Wei smiled faintly.

Jimmy continued: "Spring has come. The ice and snow have melted, roads reopened. The chief plans to take your novel *Dragon Knight* to other towns for sale. Perhaps next month, or the one after, your earnings might surge dramatically."

Li Wei said with delight: "That’s wonderful news. Please convey my deepest thanks to your chief."

Jimmy laughed warmly. "You’re too kind, Mr. Li Wei. The chief once said that without *Dragon Knight*, the Spark Literary Society might have collapsed last winter."

(End of Chapter)