Advent of the Archmage

The two of them traveled together and they both intended to enroll in the East Cove Magic Academy.

The bandits had left multiple cuts on Eliard’s body, but they were just about as skilled as common street thugs. The wounds weren’t deep and had stopped bleeding even without any first aid.

After wrapping the wounds, Eliard changed into a fresh set of clothing taken from the bundle that had fallen off the old horse. He looked much better after that.

"Here. It’s just a normal healing tonic, but your wounds will heal faster if you drink it," Link said as he took out a bottle. He’d found it in the Alchemy Tower of the magic academy in Gladstone and only had two of them.

Eliard wavered. He’d only known Link for a short while and still wasn’t at ease with drinking something from someone he had just met.

He watched Link earnestly. Seeing the Magician’s open and composed demeanor, he relaxed somewhat. It was an act of kindness after all, and he wasn’t one to turn it down just like that. He accepted the bottle from Link and took a small sip. After sensing that all was well, he drank it all down.

"Thank you." Eliard felt a comfortable warmth suffuse his stomach. Instantly, he knew that it hadn’t been tampered with, and was in fact, most likely a potion of superior quality.

"No problem," Link answered cheerfully, "Let’s go."

The East Cove Magic Academy stood on the northeast side of Girvent Forest. They had entered from the forest’s western entrance, which meant that they would have to travel through more than half of the Girvent Forest.

Luckily, it wasn’t that large, only about 30 to 40 miles wide. Also, the King’s Lane had been paved smoothly, making their journey much easier.

They chatted as they walked.

Within three or four hours of walking, they had become rather familiar with each other and could see the town of River Cove in the distance.

In Eliard’s eyes, Link, though just a common Magician’s Apprentice, was an interesting fellow with a cheerful and generous personality.

They had spoken about almost everything under the sun. Many times, Link seemed to have been able to tell what he was thinking and follow his line of thought. Such clever fellows were rare indeed. It almost made him forget his own embarrassing circumstances.

Yes, he was pretty pathetic right now, especially in terms of finances. Being an orphan, no one would willingly support his magic studies. He had no choice but to do his best and make money on his own doing any job he could find. He made barely enough to pay his fees for the magic academy. As for his other expenses, he could only scrimp and save to avoid going hungry.

I’m so lucky to have made such a friend, Eliard rejoiced.

Link felt the same way. Eliard was a true prodigy. His brilliant mind was able to follow many of the jokes from Earth that Link told.

But there was one thing that still bothered Link.

His own appearance was really quite plain and his body rather frail. With his common gray robes and without his wand, he looked just like any old commoner on the streets. On the contrary, Eliard was incomparably handsome, tall and fit. The normal clothes Eliard wore were unable to hide his brilliance.

Link looked just like Eliard’s subordinate when they stood side-by-side.

I’m now the leaf that brings out the red of the blooms, Link lamented.

Indeed, Eliard drew everyone’s attention in River Cove Town, especially the ladies. Their eyes glowed, wolf-like as their gazes followed him. While Link, next to him, was ignored completely. At the inn, the owner looked towards Eliard and asked, "Do you want to stay here Sir?"

Eliard nodded. Gritting his teeth, he handed over the money for two rooms. Link was his savior; he couldn’t allow Link to pay.

By this point, Link knew all about Eliard’s circumstances from the conversations they’d shared. He strode up and placed a gold coin on the counter. "Two of your best rooms, please and thank you."

Turning to Eliard, he casually said, "Don’t argue. Just take it as my repaying you for the drinks from last time."

He knew that Eliard was in a tight spot financially. And the reason they had come to the inn, despite Eliard having expressed his preference to travel through the night, was that Link hadn’t slept properly in almost two days.

The so-called ’returning of money’ was so as not to humiliate Eliard.

Eliard was taken aback for a moment. Then, he understood. Gratitude filled his heart as he nodded. Though he remained silent, he would remember the favor in the future.

The years he had spent wandering had taught him the cold and evil things of this world. Pure and good intentions like Link’s were hard to come by, and he remembered each and every one, hoping that he would be able to repay them someday.

The two of them had their dinner in the inn’s hall. Link paid the bill before both of them retired to their rooms.

Back in his room, Link went to bed after washing up. But he tossed and turned and was unable to fall asleep. He decided to look through the items in the pendant Celine had given him.

The pendant was too precious, too valuable for Link to display it to everyone. He could only look at in private.

His consciousness, entering the pendant, found itself within a murky gray place, around 30 feet tall and 30 feet wide where items floated around in piles.

The first thing he saw was a stack of magic books, up to 64 of them. The Flemmings Magic Academy’s most valuable books were all there.

Then came some low-level potions. There weren’t many, only seven or eight bottles, all which he had gotten from the Alchemy Tower. The only other things left in the murky space was a pile of gold coins. He counted 1315 of them. Celine had left him all the gold.

Though they’d only been apart for less than a day, Link already missed her very much.

I wonder if she’s managed to get rid of the demons from the Deep? Is she well now? Questions filled Link’s head as he felt the new sensation of longing and worry for the first time.

I’m still too weak! Link sighed. Even if he was by her side, he would only be a burden to her.

He rubbed the pendant with one hand as he clasped the feathers that he had hidden next to his chest. It was comforting—it made him feel like Celine was right there beside him.

He was extremely tired and fell asleep after half an hour. When he opened his eyes, he found that the sky was still pitch black. Link pulled out his pocket watch. It was two in the morning. He’d slept for around six hours.

But those six hours made him feel completely refreshed. He felt the warmth return to his fingertips as if he were in a hot spring. It was comforting, and his mind was clearer and sharper than ever, no longer dazed as it had been in sleep before.

He could analyze whatever problems popped up in his mind quickly and systematically. The questions his body’s original owner had regarding magic were solved with little thought paid to them.

Is this what I’m like at my peak? If I were to take an IQ examination, the original Link would probably get a maximum of 90 points. I would probably have gotten about 130 as I was back on Earth, just a little better than average. But now, I’d definitely get more than 250...No, 260. Whatever. But this mind is invincible!

It’d be a waste if such a sharp mind wasn’t put to good use!

Link pulled out a magic book from the pendant. It was called "Spell Structure". He flipped to the index. It listed the common Level-0 Spells: Earth Spike, Fireball, Wind Blade, Grease, Lesser Invisibility. The book explained each in detail.

It was just what Link needed.

"As the idiom goes, ’an hour in the morning is worth two in the evening’. I’ll start my studies of magic now!"

Putting his nose in the book, he began to read diligently.