"I was too naive. The professors at the Nine-Ring White Tower—even with the standards repeatedly lowered—aren't positions that a novice Wizard like me could hope to fill…"
In a juice shop, Leilin and Darlenlay sat across from each other. Leilin gazed at the pedestrians outside the floor-to-ceiling window while listening to Darlenlay recount her experiences after they parted ways.
All in all, Darlenlay was a talented Wizard with real perseverance, but her only shortcoming was that she was far too young!
For Wizards, knowledge was power! Given Darlenlay's age, having already broken through to the rank of formal Wizard was remarkable enough. But in terms of accumulated knowledge and the depth of her foundation, she was nowhere near those old monsters who had lived for centuries.
Unsurprisingly, she failed the Nine-Ring White Tower's recruitment, being eliminated in the very first round.
The other female companions who had gone with her fared roughly the same. After being hit by the staggering gap between ideals and reality, some had long since returned to their hometowns, while others simply gave up entirely. Only Darlenlay, driven by her unyielding spirit, persisted in staying in Tritonis City.
But soon, she faced a dire problem—she was out of money!
Don't be fooled by the apparent wealth of formal Wizards. In truth, a newly advanced formal Wizard had already exhausted all their resources and Magic Stones during the advancement process. With no particular skills to offer, and unable to even purchase Wizard Spell Templates or other means to enhance their strength due to a lack of Magic Stones, they fell into a vicious cycle. Generally, newly advanced Wizards were at their poorest, and the cost of living in Tritonis City was far beyond what Darlenlay could afford.
Not to mention that she still needed to save up Magic Stones to purchase Spiritual Power potions and Wizard Spell Templates.
Therefore, after much deliberation, Darlenlay had no choice but to set aside her pride and look for a job to support herself.
But reality dealt her yet another brutal blow! Ordinary jobs were beneath Darlenlay, and the positions that required a formal Wizard were beyond her qualifications. She had been rejected time and again, and today she just happened to run into Leilin.
"In just a few days, I didn't expect your experiences to be so eventful…"
Leilin wanted to laugh but forced himself to hold it in.
The Bloodline Warlock path he had advanced along made him a powerhouse at every level, and with the Chip helping him cheat, his accumulated knowledge was in no way inferior to those old monsters. He had never experienced anything like this.
In fact, Wizards like Darlenlay were the norm in the Wizard world.
"Is there anything I can help with?" Leilin asked kindly. After all, a few Magic Stones or so were no longer something he cared about in the slightest.
For him now, Magic Stones were barely different from the rocks on the ground. He certainly didn't mind showing a bit of generosity.
"No need—I've already taken on a task to gather Starlight Grass. The pay is quite good, enough to support myself for the time being." Darlenlay declined. She was still a strong and proud girl, and she naturally couldn't accept charity.
"Oh! Starlight Grass!"
Leilin casually ran a query through the Chip: "That herb seems to only be produced in Imbol Town. Although it's not far from Tritonis City and easy enough to gather, there's recently been a wave of Soul Reaper cultists who have fled into the area, so there's real danger…"
"No wonder…" Darlenlay covered her mouth. "I was wondering why the task was so simple yet the pay was so generous! How infuriating…"
Seeing her troubled expression, Leilin couldn't help but smile: "I happen to be heading there myself. Why don't we go together…"
"Sir…" Darlenlay was visibly moved, tears even glistening at the corners of her eyes.
"I really do have business there!" Leilin emphasized. After days of waiting, and with the bloodline and soul hints that had been transmitted, that descendant of the Farell Family had arrived and would soon reach the vicinity of Imbol Town!
Otherwise, why would Leilin bother? He could casually tip Darlenlay a few Magic Stones, but why would he waste his precious time accompanying her on a trip?
"Thank you so much!" Darlenlay bowed deeply, a blush spreading across her cheeks and creeping all the way down her neck.
…
The axle kept turning, producing a rhythmic creaking. The uneven road made the carriage shake and rattle constantly.
Inside the carriage, Darlenlay stared at Leilin's mysterious face behind its black mask, seeming hesitant. After a long moment, she finally asked: "S-Sir, my name is Darlenlay. May I ask…"
Since Leilin had been wearing a mask the entire time, Darlenlay had assumed he wished to conceal his identity, so she hadn't dared to ask his name before. But now that the two of them were heading to Imbol Town together, it would be far too rude not to inquire.
"Oh, my name is Leilin!" Leilin answered honestly. In his perception, that bloodline descendant was already very close to the town.
But the other person's Life Energy had weakened to a critical point, with deathly aura even swirling around them. If Leilin didn't go to meet them, they probably wouldn't survive the journey to Tritonis City.
"Leilin!" Darlenlay murmured the name several times, then her expression shifted: "Mr. Leilin's name happens to be the same as a Wizard in our history textbook!"