However, Salin quickly reacted and exclaimed, "Mage! You're a mage!"
His voice carried both excitement and fear, almost choking on the last few words. Salin had never imagined that a mage would appear before him. It had been over two hundred years since a mage had been seen in Ceylon, but that didn't mean people were unaware of their existence.
Mages represented mystery, status, terror, and distance. Ordinary people couldn't even dream of encountering a mage; they were accessible only to nobles, emperors, military personnel, and the extremely wealthy.
Mages were extremely wealthy individuals who lived in seclusion, possessing immense magical power. A single mage could destroy a city, and even in the presence of an emperor, a mage had no need to bow.
In other words, mages were living legends. They built magic towers to practice their craft, and their power transcended mundane constraints. Even in times of war, any army had to maneuver around a mage's tower. If a noble gained the favor of a mage and received the opportunity to sponsor them, their status would immediately rise.
Salin's mind was in turmoil. He keenly realized that the appearance of this mage would change his destiny. But he didn't know how to handle it. Should he ask for more money? Would that anger the mage?
Gold! Gold! Bread!
"Is a hundred gold coins okay? I'll buy you a small house in the city, enough for you to live in," the mage said with some pity as he looked at the boy. Salin's body was thin, his ribs visible. His ribs were bruised, making him look even more pitiful.
Salin was overwhelmed by the offer of a hundred gold coins; he almost immediately agreed. But then the pain in his side suddenly flared up, causing him to suck in a breath and grimace.
"Oh, let me have a look," the mage said, placing a hand on Salin's shoulder and releasing a spell with the other hand. A green light shimmered, enveloping Salin's body.
Salin felt like he was immersed in warm water as the green light seeped into his skin, easing his pain.
A thought surfaced in Salin's mind, like a temptation from the devil, persistent and unshakeable.
"I don't want gold coins!" Salin straightened up and said, "Mr. Mage, please accept me as your student."
Salin didn't know how to perform a proper bow, so he lifted his head and met the mage's eyes directly. At that moment, his emotions were beyond description. What would the mage's reaction be? Would he feel insulted by Salin's request? Would he kill him in anger?
The mage's black eyes were deep and bright, like obsidian, with an inner texture. He looked thoughtfully at Salin and asked, "You want to be my student?"
"Yes, I want to learn magic," Salin replied firmly. Despite his fear, the pain in his side spurred him on. What use was the money from selling the house if he didn't have any survival skills? If he encountered thieves, he might not even be able to save his own life.
"Learning magic is difficult," the mage interrupted Salin, continuing, "Out of ten people, nine can become magic apprentices, but out of a hundred apprentices, only one or two may become mages. The power of a magic apprentice is not strong; it's only a skill for making a living. If you become my student, you're not allowed to change your path without my permission."
Salin knelt down on one knee, bowing his head. "I'm willing to become your student," he said, trying to make his words sound less crude and adopting a more respectful tone.
"Get up," the mage's tone turned cold as he said unequivocally, "Even as an apprentice, you must not kneel to anyone. Remember, if you want to be my student, this is the last time you'll kneel in your life."
"Yes, teacher," Salin said, rising joyfully. He knew that the mage had agreed to his request.
"What's your name, and how old are you?" the mage's voice softened again.
"I'm Salin Metatrin, twelve years old," Salin answered respectfully, though his stomach rumbled loudly.
The mage chuckled and said, "Go change your clothes and have something to eat. I'll be waiting for you in the living room."
"Okay," Salin replied, hurrying upstairs. He changed into his clothes and then descended the stairs, running into the kitchen. There was half a bag of old rice on the stove, and he opened the oil-paper bundle, grabbing a handful of rice and stuffing it into his mouth.
"Is this all you eat?" the mage's voice sounded from the doorway, startling Salin, who stopped eating and felt embarrassed. The mage sighed and took out a piece of dried meat, handing it to Salin. Tears welled up in Salin's eyes and fell immediately.
He wiped them away with his sleeve and didn't eat the dried meat. Instead, he said to the mage, "Teacher, from now on, I won't cry or embarrass you."
The mage watched as tears streamed down the boy's face while he ate hungrily, saying nothing. Even with his status, even if he offered ten thousand gold coins, he might not have been able to persuade the mage to take on a student. But upon seeing Salin for the first time, he felt a great deal of pity. There was no life in Salin's eyes, only the despair of impending death.
The mage didn't ask Salin to do anything. Instead, he took out more dried meat and bread, placing them in the kitchen. Salin didn't question where these items came from; in his mind, the mage was capable of anything.
The mage instructed Salin to rest first. He watched as Salin climbed into bed and then cast a hypnotic spell, causing Salin to immediately fall into a deep sleep. When he woke up, he felt hungry again. The mage's voice sounded in his ear, "Explore the surroundings first and then come to the living room."
Magic was indeed miraculous; the voice was directly transmitted into his ear, neither heavy nor light. Salin marveled at it, jumping out of bed and putting on his shoes. He found that his shoes were dry and quickly put them on, then discovered that his room had gained a new door. The room had also changed, with tables, chairs, and a wardrobe. The wardrobe held a large dressing mirror.
The entire room looked as if it had been cleaned, every surface spotless. The furniture wasn't new, but there was a mattress on the bed now, along with a quilt and pillow. Salin had slept like the dead, not even noticing the changes. Opening the door, he found the hallway exceptionally clean, with doors to several rooms, all of which were now accessible. Paintings adorned the walls. Everything felt as if his parents were still alive. Salin had the urge to cry again but managed to hold back this time.
There were eight rooms on the second floor, four large and four small. Salin's room was one of the small ones at the end of the hallway. He looked into each room; the four large rooms had all been converted into studies, while one of the small rooms was a bedroom. The other two small rooms' doors couldn't be opened.
What surprised Salin was that the entire second floor had been renovated, with new floors, repaired doors and windows, and countless mysterious symbols added. The walls seemed to have been repainted, and the ceilings were spotless, not a speck of dust in sight.
The house felt unfamiliar, and Salin felt uneasy as he descended the stairs. The main hall on the ground floor was already furnished, and the kitchen was stocked with utensils. Salin didn't go to see the basement; instead, he went to the living room and pushed open the door, prepared mentally but still gaping in astonishment at the completely transformed room.
A massive table dominated the center of the room, its material indiscernible, covered with strange instruments Salin didn't recognize. A crucible on one end still burned with black flames. There was only one chair around the table, with several cabinets against the walls, filled with unknown objects.
Salin saw mysterious symbols everywhere, and crystal lamps hung from the ceiling, casting a soft light that seemed to leave no shadows.
The mage looked up, speaking gently, "Salin, you're awake. Get something to eat for yourself, and then we'll talk."
"Teacher, you go ahead," Salin said, obediently standing by the table, feeling nervous.
"Alright, I'll start," the mage began. "My name is Jason Stenson, I'm from the Qin Empire, and I'm a fifth-level mage. As my student, I can't offer you much guidance because I don't have that much time. I'll teach you a reading spell first; it's a 0-level spell. If you can master it, I'll teach you the rules of meditation. Then you can read magical books on your own. I won't provide any further guidance until you become a level 10 apprentice."
"Level 10 apprentice?" Salin cautiously raised a question, unsure of what that meant.
"Apprenticeships in magic have ten levels. During the apprentice stage, you can only master 0-level magic. 0-level magic doesn't require a magic string; you just need sufficient mental power and affinity with the corresponding elements. The strength of your mental power determines your ability to control magic, and your affinity with the elements determines how many spells you can cast in succession. If one of these is inadequate, you won't become a true mage."
"How do you advance in levels?"
"A level 1 apprentice can cast two 0-level spells in succession, a level 2 apprentice can cast four, and so on. When you can cast twenty 0-level spells in succession, I'll instruct you on how to become a mage. Now, I'll teach you your first 0-level spell." The mage began chanting a spell with eerie syllables, accompanying it with a fixed magical gesture.
"Practice this, and you'll be able to study words and magical knowledge in books," the mage repeated the spell several times, with Salin following along. After three repetitions, Salin could recite the spell flawlessly and perform the gestures without error.
"Alright, practice on your own. Once you succeed, I'll teach you the rules of meditation. Then you can read the books I've prepared for you. Start with the books in the first room, and don't move on until you've finished reading everything in that room."
"Yes, teacher," Salin bowed respectfully, as he would to a noble in Ceylon.
The mage shook his head, thinking about etiquette, but decided to address it later. He didn't correct Salin's behavior and simply waved his hand, indicating for Salin to leave.
Salin closed the door and quickly went to the kitchen. He found a box storing rice and flour and decided to eat some. He was ravenous, so he grabbed some dried meat and bread, washing it down with water, feeling happy.
As he ate, he recalled the magic he had just learned. Both the incantation and the gestures didn't seem difficult to him. Especially the incantation; he memorized it on the first try, with the following two repetitions just to correct pronunciation. It seemed he had some talent after all, at least not completely clueless. Thinking about this, Salin felt a bright future ahead.