Chapter 199: Finding a Free Guide.

It was him!

That white mage named Seidler.

Three years ago, Shu Li had discovered a clue about the Fire Spirit and secretly slipped through the Mother Tree's root system to the Ergoja Desert in the Izera Empire.

There, he had encountered an adventuring party made up of a white mage, a Dark Elf, a dwarf, a goblin, and an orc.

At the time, he had wondered why a white mage would team up with a Dark Elf. After quietly approaching and using his perception to eavesdrop, he learned that the man was searching for the Crystal of the Blazing Sun.

The Crystal of the Blazing Sun was formed from the solidified blood of the Fire God. It was both a top-grade material for crafting fire-element magical equipment and something that could effectively raise one's magical rank.

Shu Li had followed the adventuring party all the way through the desert and unexpectedly discovered the Temple of Edas. Not only had he found the Fire Spirit there, he had even crossed through time and encountered the Fire God.

Before leaving, he had taken half of the Crystals of the Blazing Sun he collected in the underground palace and buried them in the lake above the Temple of Edas, as thanks to the white mage and his companions for leading the way.

And now, three years later, he had actually run into that same white mage, Seidler, here in Igya City in the Central Court.

Shu Li quickly looked him over.

His chestnut hair was combed immaculately, and a golden circlet set with defensive magic stones rested on his head. A white cloak draped over his shoulders, while his high-grade magical robe had magical inscriptions embroidered all along the sleeves and hem. He wore deerskin boots and held an elegantly shaped high-ranking magic staff topped with a large red crystal.

He looked completely different from when Shu Li had seen him in the desert. From his bearing to his overall air, everything about him now seemed graceful, refined, and immaculate.

Shu Li's gaze swept over the magical badge pinned to his left breast.

There was no doubt about it.

He had obtained the Crystals of the Blazing Sun buried in the lake. In just three short years, he had advanced from an Intermediate Magic Instructor to a Senior Magic Instructor.

Shu Li was genuinely happy for him.

“Sperien, what are you looking at?” Dixio asked. “Aren't we going to find a shop that sells maps?”

“Wait here for me. I'll go ask someone.” Shu Li gestured to the others, then walked straight toward Seidler.

Seidler was waiting for someone.

Someone he very much did not want to wait for.

If that person hadn't invited him again and again, there was no way Seidler would be standing around stupidly near the teleportation station today.

He had deliberately found a quiet corner with few people, hugged his magic staff against himself, and stared expressionlessly at the sky while his thoughts sank into the magical formation symbols he had been researching lately.

Without realizing it, twenty minutes passed.

And that damned bastard still had not appeared.

Seidler decided that if the man failed to show up within another ten minutes, he would leave.

Rather than stand here wasting his time, he might as well go home and continue studying magical formations.

“Hello. Sorry to bother you.”

A clear voice suddenly sounded beside him, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Seidler calmly lowered his gaze toward the black-haired boy standing in front of him.

The boy was half a head shorter than he was, tilting up a fair and beautiful face. His gray-green eyes looked utterly innocent. He wore an ordinary magical robe and carried the lowest-grade magic staff.

What surprised Seidler, however, was the magical badge pinned to his chest.

A Seven-Element Mage!

Seven crystals of different colors were embedded in the badge, representing seven different types of magic. Aside from dark magic, every element had already reached the level of an Intermediate Mage Apprentice.

Seidler's expression softened.

“Do you need something?”

He had always treated magic apprentices rather kindly.

Shu Li smiled politely.

“I wanted to ask if there's anywhere nearby that sells maps of Igya City.”

“A map?” Seidler glanced toward the teleportation tower and guessed that the boy had only just arrived in the city. “Are you heading to St. Velia Magic Academy?”

The school term was about to begin, and plenty of magic apprentices from other regions had been arriving in the city lately.

“Ah!” Shu Li exclaimed in surprise. “Yes. My companions and I are going to report to the magic academy.”

He turned and waved.

The rest of the Light Squad came over and politely greeted Seidler.

Seidler looked at the eight magic apprentices, including the black-haired boy, in surprise.

As a mage who had lived in Igya City for nearly forty years, he had met countless magic apprentices, especially recommended students from other countries and regions.

Those children were extraordinarily talented and usually came from wealthy families. They tended to travel with an impressive entourage.

But these eight magic apprentices did not even have a single adult accompanying them.

Although the Central Court was a sacred place coveted by every mage on the Austin Continent, the journey here from distant regions was far from safe.

There were countless bandits waiting to rob travelers along the way. Magic apprentices were too weak to defend themselves properly and often suffered terrible harm. Making it all the way to the Central Court safely could practically be called surviving against all odds.

And yet, strangely enough, these eight apprentices were not only completely unharmed, but all looked rosy-cheeked, energetic, and full of vitality.

There was also something pure and childlike about them that made them immediately likable.

“If you don't mind,” Seidler said, “I can take you to the magic academy.”

Shu Li and his companions looked at one another.

They had actually stumbled across a ready-made “guide.”

How lucky was that?!

“We don't mind!” Shu Li said happily. “Not at all!”

Angel asked in a quiet voice, “Do we have to pay?”

Seidler fell silent for three seconds.

“No.”

Angel immediately relaxed.

“Thank you! You're such a good person!”

Dixio, Budno, and Amanda instantly chorused, “You're such a good person—”

Kumandi: “...”

Ace: “...”

Nasha wanted to cover her face.

She had the distinct impression that the corners of Mr. Magic Instructor's mouth were twitching.

It wasn't as if Shu Li failed to notice Seidler's helpless expression.

Still, he was delighted to have a free guide.

“Then... should we go now?” he asked expectantly.

Seidler glanced at the clock on a distant high-rise.

The hand had just passed the half-hour mark.

He nodded.

“Let's go.”

Half an hour had already passed.

If that bastard still hadn't shown up, then he had no one to blame when Seidler left without him.

“All right!”

Shu Li and his companions eagerly followed behind Seidler.

Seidler began to suspect that he had somehow ended up leading a group of small children.

However, they had only gone five or six meters when a black figure rushed over like a whirlwind and blocked their path.

“Seidler! Why didn't you wait for me?”

The newcomer wore a brown hooded cloak, his entire face hidden beneath the wide hood. Only a grayish-blue chin and a section of silver hair were visible.

There was only one race with skin and hair like that.

A Dark Elf.

The five Little Fairies frowned instinctively.

Their grips tightened around their magic staffs, their bodies tensing as their gazes filled with wariness.

It wasn't that they were being overly sensitive.

Being hunted by Dark Elves when they were young had left them with an enormous psychological shadow.

Back in Vishish City, they had seen Dark Elves from a distance and could still remain calm.

Now, with one standing so close, their guards immediately went all the way up.

Amanda's danger radar shot straight to its highest level.

He had once been stolen from Dragon Island by Dark Elves, imprisoned in the lowest deck of a pirate ship, and subjected to endless abuse.

He hated Dark Elves to the bone.

Now that one had suddenly appeared to block their path, he couldn't help glaring fiercely at him.

He was older now.

Stronger, too.

He wasn't afraid of Dark Elves anymore.

Nasha noticed the sudden change in her companions but had no idea what had happened.

Confused, she pressed her lips together and instinctively tightened her grip on her magic staff.

Ace was the only one among them who remained calm.

His green eyes rested indifferently on the Dark Elf whose appearance was concealed beneath the cloak.

Seidler glared at the Dark Elf blocking his path and stated coldly, “You're half an hour late.”

The Dark Elf coughed twice to hide his embarrassment, then defended himself.

“Sorry. I took the wrong teleportation array and ended up making a detour through two extra cities.”

“So?” Seidler said. “No matter how you explain it, you're still late.”

“Oh, Seidler, we hardly ever get to see each other. We should at least find somewhere to catch up, shouldn't we?” the Dark Elf said shamelessly. “Besides, I brought you good news this time. Are you sure you don't want to hear it?”

Seidler stared directly at him and said without the slightest warmth, “I'm busy right now. I don't have time to listen to your nonsense.”

The Dark Elf rubbed his chin, then raised his head and looked at the magic apprentices behind Seidler.

His blood-red eyes narrowed.

“Who are they?”

He had noticed it the moment he arrived.

Several of these magic apprentices were openly hostile toward him, their gazes full of resentment.

Why?

Had they met before?

“They're new students at the magic academy,” Seidler said. “I'm taking them there to enroll.”

The Dark Elf couldn't resist commenting, “They have legs. Can't they get there by themselves?”

“Moresy, you also have legs,” Seidler mocked coldly. “Would you mind using them to walk away?”

The Dark Elf called Moresy curled his lips upward and crossed his arms in a lazy, carefree pose.

“If you're taking them to the magic academy, then I'll come with you.”

Seidler had never known what to do with his shamelessness.

“Whatever.”

Moresy immediately looked pleased.

“How are you planning to get there? Take the rail carriage or rent a magic vehicle?”

Seidler couldn't be bothered to answer.

Instead, he softened his expression and addressed the wary magic apprentices.

“You don't need to be nervous. This Dark Elf may be cunning, shameless, and capable of making anything sound convincing, but he has never indiscriminately killed innocent people and has no criminal record. He also passed the Central Court's screening and obtained permanent residency, so he can more or less be considered a law-abiding resident.”

Moresy listened to the white mage's assessment of him and shrugged.

Shu Li already knew the Dark Elf's name was Moresy.

Three years ago, he had been the one leading the desert expedition together with Seidler.

He was an extremely shrewd man.

It was precisely because Moresy had discovered the gathering grounds of the fire dragon lizards that Shu Li and the Mother Tree had managed to locate the Temple of Edas correctly.

Even knowing that this Dark Elf's character was barely acceptable, Shu Li still couldn't completely lower his guard.

Among Dark Elves, only Efit was different.

“Hello,” Shu Li greeted him coolly out of basic courtesy.

“Hello.”

Moresy looked at the young magic apprentice with an unreadable smile and could practically “smell” the pure power of light radiating from him.

Everyone knew that the stronger someone's power of light, the greater their magical talent.

Aside from the little girl, every one of these magic apprentices possessed an extraordinary amount of light power.

Even from two meters away, it felt strong enough to “scorch” his soul.

Well, well.

St. Velia Magic Academy was about to gain several more geniuses.

Seidler led the group to the nearest rail carriage stop.

Five minutes later, the carriage arrived and opened both its front and rear doors at the same time.

Passengers boarded through the front and exited through the rear.

The magic academy was an hour away.

Seidler tossed one gold coin into the fare box.

Behind him, the magic apprentices painfully followed suit, each dropping in a gold coin.

Igya City truly was the most prosperous city in the Central Court.

Even the public transportation was expensive.

There were not many empty seats left inside the carriage.

The group moved toward the rear and managed to find nine seats.

Seidler and the eight magic apprentices sat down.

Moresy, who had boarded last, was forced to stand.

He sighed, then lazily leaned against a nearby pole, looking completely at ease.

The moment the rail carriage started moving, however, it suddenly accelerated.

The seated passengers all pitched forward.

And Moresy, who had been leaning against the pole while trying to look cool, was violently flung away.