The 'Summoning Mount' is a useful level 1 spell that summons a pony from the Netherworld for the caster's drive, with a duration dependent on the caster's level.
Of course, Austin, who has just learned how to build a spell model, will not know this spell, but Lillian will, I don't know if it was ordered by Master Zecier, after having breakfast together, she used a pinch of horse's mane as a medium to cast this spell, so Austin no longer used two legs to trek on the way to Oni City this time.
Riding a horse was a novel experience for Austen, yes, he was riding a horse for the first time, but fortunately, the horses summoned by the spell were docile and could give orders directly with his spirit, which allowed him to sit comfortably on the back of the horse after the initial panic.
Returning to the city of Oni, he went straight to the eastern part of the city, where the nobles and the wealthy were concentrated, where the residence of the Baron of Navia was located. Because the Navia family is a local family, Austin casually asked two people, and then knew how to get there, and soon found his destination.
After showing the letter written by Master Zecier in front of the doorman, Austin was welcomed in, but he was not immediately summoned by the baron.
The big guys are busy. After waiting in the living room for a long time, Austen could only exonerate himself like this. However, based on his experience of entertaining guests in the Navia estate these days, making guests wait for a long time meant that the host did not want to see him at all.
"Austen?"
As Austen was bored pacing back and forth in the living room, a girl in a black dress passing by the hallway called out his name.
"Ah, Miss Catherine!" replied Austin in surprise. He naturally remembered this girl in a black dress, after all, they had just met the day before yesterday.
Catherine didn't wear a veil today, which gave Austen a chance to feast on her pretty face, and she was indeed a beauty! It was just as he had expected! And after looking closely, he felt that Catherine's face seemed familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere.
Austen grabbed her hair and thought about it for half a minute, and finally remembered the oil painting in the living room of Navia Manor, which had attracted her, and the lady depicted on it! Yes, it was very similar to her, especially the light blue eyes that were as gentle as water.
Maybe that's why Mage Zecier favored this niece?" he couldn't help but think.
"If it's you, I thought I was wrong. Catherine's voice was very crisp, she raised her beautiful eyes and asked curiously, "Is Uncle really not coming back?"
To this question, Austin could only answer stubbornly: "Mr. Jersey said that he will not come back for the time being." "
"For the time being?" Catherine chuckled, "Did he still say he was in a hurry and teleported?"
"Ahh You know all about it?"
"He's just a trouble-scared guy, we all know that. Okay, you want to see my father to tell him this 'good' news, right? It's normal for him to not want to see you. "
"Yes, but not exactly, Mage Jersey also assigned me to come to your house as a guard for a while. Austin nodded and shook his head, a little busy for a while.
"Acting as a guard, a new mage apprentice?" Catherine glared at Austin in disbelief, "How long have you been in Navia Manor?"
"Half a month, miss. Austin replied truthfully.
"It's only been half a month, so what will you do?" Catherine didn't immediately take Austen for granted as a tabula rasa apprentice who couldn't even do a trick, she knew her uncle, and knew that he was cautious and careful, and he wouldn't be untargeted.
"In addition to being a mage apprentice, I am also a level 1 special mage, mastering 7 spells, and Mr. Zecier has given me a few practical magic items, I believe I have the ability to be a good guard!" Austin said this very confidently, and looked at Catherine expectantly, he knew that if he wanted the baron to see him, this young lady would be the key.
"He's still a special mage. She stroked her palms and smiled, "Then I'm relieved, come with me, and I'll show you my father." "
So, with Catherine's help, Austin met the owner of the mansion, the current patriarch of the House of Navia, and the judge of Oni City.
"You can give me the letter. "
Baron Navia has a face similar to that of Master Zecier, but with more pronounced edges and more majestic appearances, which may have something to do with his long tenure as a judge.
After handing the letter, Austin stood quietly and waited, like a prisoner waiting for the verdict to be announced. This was indeed the case, and the Mage of Jersey sent him as a guard, but it was up to the Baron himself to decide whether he could stay.
"Your name is Austen, isn't it?" said the baron, finally after reading the letter.
"Yes, Lord Baron. "
"The letter says that you are a special mage with good strength, and Zecil will say so, believing that you do have merit in some places, and you can stay, and I hope that with your help, our family will not be killed by a dagger that came out of nowhere. "
"I'll do my best, and don't worry. Of course, Austin heard the other party's ridicule, but still responded with the usual expression.
"Alright, let's go down. You can go to Catherine and ask her to help you find an empty room in the house, and I will call you if necessary. The baron dismissed him unimpressedly.
After coming out of the baron, Austin shrugged his shoulders indifferently, and he was not surprised at all by the baron, after all, he was only an insignificant level 1 small special mage, and it was difficult for the big man to look at him.
Then it's time to find Miss Catherine, and you need her to help you arrange your accommodation, but where to find her?
While he was at a loss, Catherine came out of a nearby room, appeared to him like an angel, and took the initiative to ask:
"Austin, did Father keep you?"
"Yes. The Baron agreed to let me stay as a guard. Austin tried to squeeze out a smile.
Catherine could guess how her father would treat Austen coldly, so she comforted him: "Don't care about his attitude, you will have a chance to prove yourself." "
After a few more polite sentences, Austen timely raised his unresolved problem of food and lodging.
"Let me think about it, where do you live... You're a spellcaster and need a quiet place... Well, there is an empty house next to the garden, where the gardener used to live, although it is a little simpler, but it is very quiet, and few people pass, you can continue to study magic with peace of mind, and I will let the servant clean it up for you. Catherine thought a lot about Austen and made a decision.
"Thank you so much, as for whether it is simple or not, you must not worry, you are not afraid of your jokes, I came from the slums west of the city, and I dare say that any room in your house is ten times more comfortable than my original residence!" Austin said a bit exaggerated, but the house of the nobles, even if it was for the servants to live, was better than that of the slums.
Catherine looked at him with a little amusement, and couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, of course she wasn't really laughing at Austen, anyone who can calmly admit the past is worthy of admiration.
So with Catherine's help, Austen settled down in the Baron's Court temporarily, and had a separate room, or a good place to smell the fragrance at any time, next to the garden.
Once people are quiet, especially when they are in a state of idleness, they are prone to enter a state of thinking about things.
Austin was no exception, and he couldn't help but reminisce about what had happened in the intervening years, from being thrown into a dungeon and meeting Ritter, to being injured by a female thief, to awakening to a special mage, to the tragic misfortune of his beloved Kelly... It seems that he is just going with the flow of things, and he has never really thought about his future.
A feeling that fate was not in his hands suddenly appeared in Austin's heart, and he immediately became afraid.
Yes, is it like now, honestly being Jersey's apprentice, at his disposal, even if he gives him a task that he is not capable of doing, and is he always a pawn?
Of course, the current situation does not allow him to have a choice, he still needs to acquire knowledge from Zecil, and he needs to rely on his acceptance to make his life and Irene a little better. But the future, this is by no means the future you want!
But what does the future you want to strive for?
Strength! Yes, you must have strength! Without strength, nothing you talk about is empty.
You can't miss those golden things. Good food, good wine, beautiful people, palatial houses, beautiful silk clothes... These all require gold coins.
And also...
The right to choose freely, the right to decide one's destiny freely!
In short, I will never live as humbly as I am now, be restricted by others, and be looked down upon by others, I want to become an existence that is looked up to by the world!
...