"This is the exchange house!"
On the western side of Ietta Harbor, Philip led Lynn into a dazzling, luxuriously decorated shop. The floor was made of pure white marble, polished to a mirror-like finish, and the walls were adorned with the imposing heads of griffins, their sharp eagle eyes fixed intently on every customer entering or leaving.
In the center of the hall, a large incandescent mushroom lamp illuminated the space. This rare magical plant, which emitted its own light, was typically found only in the darkest caves, mingling with creatures like gnawing rats and ghouls. The price for such a lamp ranged from twelve to thirty magic gold coins.
"In addition to currency exchange, you can also store your extra coins here. With the proper credentials, you can withdraw the corresponding magic gold coins in any city within the land of wizards, though a storage fee is required," Philip continued.
Isn't this the precursor of a bank? It already has the function of storage, but instead of earning interest, you have to pay a fee... In this regard, it resembles a moneylender's more than a bank.
Lynn mused as he observed the unusually lively exchange house. Over a hundred people were loosely packed in the hall, seemingly in the midst of a heated dispute.
To his surprise, he recognized some of them—they were Laud and his sailors.
"Get your junk out of here! We don't accept black ore, and we don't want copper coins either!"
A middle-aged man in a gray robe, with a copper badge on his chest, shouted impatiently at Laud and his men. But upon seeing Philip enter, his expression immediately changed, a warm smile spreading across his face as he pushed aside a few sailors to greet them enthusiastically.
"Ah... Professor Philip! What a rare sight. What brings you here today?"
"It has been a while, Albert. It seems you've found a good job after graduation," Philip said with a smile, introducing the two men.
Albert was a graduate from the ninth batch of Ietta Harbor, a formal wizard specializing in Elemental and Shaping Magic.
"And this is Lord Lynn, the newly appointed professor of the Arcane Mathematics discipline at Ietta Academy," Philip gestured toward Lynn.
"Good morning, Professor Lynn. Last night, I heard from the sailors in the tavern that you led them to victory over the whirlpool known as the Eye of Death in the Sea of Mist. That must have been a highly advanced spell," Albert said, praising Lynn without a trace of condescension despite his youthful appearance.
At Ietta Academy, professors were often powerful wizards with profound expertise in their fields. The younger they were, the higher their potential to become a great wizard.
"Good morning, Mr. Albert. I'm here to exchange some coins," Lynn said politely, taking out twelve Sekas gold coins, twenty-seven silver, and eleven copper—the entirety of his wealth, looted from the two bishops killed at the harbor town.
"No exchange for copper coins, is that right?" Lynn recalled what Albert had said earlier, ready to take back the few coppers.
"Ahem... that's not quite the case. It's just that calculating the value of copper coins is more troublesome," Albert said awkwardly, shaking his head. Without waiting for Lynn to move, he used the Mage Hand spell to collect the coins, handing them to an assistant to retrieve the corresponding magic gold coins.
Albert then explained with a hint of frustration that the copper coins from the Sekas Empire varied in size and even copper content, clearly minted by some rogue nobles, making them difficult to convert.
After a few seconds, the assistant returned with a finely crafted money pouch.
"Please take it, Professor Lynn," Albert said, handing the pouch to Lynn with a smile.
Lynn opened it and was surprised to find that the amount was exactly twelve gold, twenty-seven silver, and eleven copper.
"Didn't you say the exchange rate was two to one?" Lynn asked, puzzled as he held the pouch.
"That's just a recasting fee. Since you're a professor at the academy, it wouldn't be appropriate to charge you," Albert said with a touch of flattery.
Lynn remained silent, examining a magic gold coin. Compared to the currency of the Sekas Empire, it was more intricately crafted, with the character for "gold" engraved on one side and the emblem of the Wizard Council on the other. He also faintly sensed a slight magical fluctuation.
This was more than just a simple recasting. Lynn looked at Albert, unwilling to accept such goodwill without a proper reason.
"My son, Eroc, is currently studying magic at Ietta Academy. If possible, I hope you can look after him," Albert said, somewhat embarrassed.
"I see," Lynn nodded, finally accepting the pouch.
Since Albert worked at the exchange house, there might be opportunities to deal with him again in the future. Sometimes, accepting goodwill is a way to build connections.
"If Eroc takes my course, I'll keep an eye out, but I must warn you, my Arcane Mathematics class is quite challenging," Lynn kindly reminded him.
"No worries, my son isn't afraid of difficult tasks," Albert said confidently, unfazed by Lynn's warning.
"That's good!" Lynn nodded reassuringly.
Seeing the pleasant conversation, Laud couldn't help but seize the opportunity to ask, "Master Albert, what about the copper coins we have?"
"Just exchange them all," Albert said with a resigned wave, aware that Laud had crossed the sea with Lynn.
With Lynn standing right there, he couldn't refuse, though the related fees would be non-negotiable.
Under the influence of magic, the five thousand copper coins were quickly counted. The copper content was tested by sampling a few coins and calculated at the lowest rate.
After two or three minutes, Laud received two thousand magic copper coins, which he immediately distributed.
The sailors and dockworkers looked as though they were on the verge of tears, like laborers who had worked hard all year only to receive a reduced salary—pitiful in every sense.
"Thank you, Lord Lynn. If it weren't for this chance encounter, many of the brothers in the Ship Gang would have been left to starve," Laud said gratefully.
In the harbor town, he had been a man of some importance, but in this new place, his status had plummeted. Most of his accumulated wealth had been lost to the whirlpool, leaving him far from destitute but cutting off his prospects for a comfortable life.
The sailors of the Ship Gang were even worse off, with some left with only a few dozen coppers, which the exchange house refused to convert. This was why he had insisted on staying here, hoping Albert would make an exception.
"No need to thank me. Mr. Albert is merely following the rules," Lynn shook his head, then paused before asking, "Have you thought about what you'll do next?"
The Moon Monday only came once a year, so returning in the short term seemed impossible. Helram probably wouldn't let those who knew about the land of wizards leave easily, meaning they might have to stay here for the rest of their lives.
"We're thinking of finding some transport work," Laud hesitated before looking at Lynn and tentatively asking, "Lord Lynn, if you need our help, please don't hesitate to ask."
"If the opportunity arises," Lynn responded noncommittally before leaving the exchange house with Philip.
Laud glanced at the flame-shaped mark on the back of his right hand, deep in thought.
During the journey across the Sea of Mist, he had initially intended to subtly remind Lynn to remove the magic mark that could endanger his life, but after the whirlpool incident, his thoughts had shifted dramatically.
With no longer a route from the harbor town to the land of wizards, the Ship Gang had lost its value to Grand Wizard Helram. After losing much of his wealth, Laud knew they needed a new patron, or the three hundred members of the Ship Gang would likely starve.
And Lynn was undoubtedly the best choice!
Although they had only known each other for half a month, Lynn's abilities, talents, and methods had already astonished Laud. Not only had he easily uncovered Laud's hiding spot, but he had also single-handedly destroyed half of the harbor town!
Laud had no doubt about Lynn's potential to become a Grand Wizard, or even a Legendary Wizard. Now was the time to place their bet on him.
This was why Laud had kept the flame mark on his right hand. His past experiences had taught him that sometimes, entrusting your life to someone else could bring greater benefits, and the other party would be more confident in using you.
However, he hadn't anticipated that after arriving in the land of wizards, Lynn would immediately join Ietta Academy as a professor, gaining fame, status, and wealth. It seemed there was little need for the Ship Gang's services.
Laud was at a loss. Pushing their way into Lynn's affairs now seemed pointless. They clearly lacked a more appropriate opportunity to approach him.
...
On the other side, after parting with Philip and returning to his room, Lynn was pondering how to earn more magic gold coins.
As a professor, his monthly salary of five gold coins seemed substantial—enough to support a family of commoners for two or three years in the Sekas Empire. But when it came to studying magic, it was barely sufficient, especially for Alchemy and Potions, which could only be described as money pits.
Not to mention, he was also considering buying a Source of Magic on the black market, which would cost at least a hundred magic gold coins. His salary was simply too meager.
Recruiting more students was one solution. The more students in his Arcane Mathematics class, the more reason he had to request various funds from Helram.
And then, he could discreet
ly run private tutoring sessions.
The problem was that it was difficult to find students.
The number of students who took Arcane Mathematics as an elective was already small, and the discipline was known for being both complex and unrewarding.
With that in mind, Lynn began preparing the first lesson plan for his Arcane Mathematics course...
This required introducing an appropriate application to attract more students to the subject.
Chapter 63: First Lesson (Combined)
The next morning, Lynn arrived early in the arcane laboratory.
This particular arcane laboratory was located in the tallest part of the Ivory Tower, reserved for professors teaching Arcane Mathematics.
Considering that the final exam for Lynn's course would be a public review attended by all the senior professors, the quality of the teaching environment was excellent, even luxurious, by Ietta Academy's standards.
The main hall was spacious, over 200 square meters, and built from dark gray stone, with several pointed arched windows letting in natural light. On one side of the hall were rows of heavy dark brown wooden desks, arranged like a university classroom. The other side had various magical devices, including an alchemy lab, where students could conduct experiments.
Lynn appreciated the setting but was most interested in a large blackboard against the wall. It was different from the simple boards used in the Sekas Empire, made from a special obsidian slate. Not only was it extremely sturdy, but it also had a smooth, polished surface, ideal for writing with magic-enhanced chalk.
It was important because Lynn intended to introduce his students to the theoretical side of magic using equations and models—a method vastly different from the traditional approach of using spells and incantations. The blackboard would allow him to visually represent complex ideas and guide his students through the steps.
Once Lynn confirmed everything was in order, he returned to his desk, taking out his carefully prepared lesson plan.
Even though this was his first time teaching, Lynn was confident.
The preparation had been extensive. He had anticipated potential questions from his students and was ready to answer them.
The goal for today's lesson was to lay the foundation for Arcane Mathematics, ensuring that every student left with a solid understanding of the subject's importance.
As time passed, students began to arrive, one after another.
Lynn had been informed that there would be no more than a dozen students, and the numbers confirmed this. Only eight people had arrived by the time the class was supposed to begin.
They were of varying ages, ranging from fifteen to thirty. Among them was Eroc, Albert's son, who was the youngest and seemed particularly nervous.
Lynn had anticipated a small turnout, so he wasn't disappointed.
The silence was thick, and the students stared at him, waiting for him to begin. Without wasting any time, Lynn turned to the blackboard, picking up a piece of chalk.
"The first thing we're going to discuss," Lynn started, his voice calm and clear, "is the essence of magic."
A few students exchanged puzzled glances. Discussing the essence of magic was an unexpected beginning.
They were probably expecting him to dive into complex equations and magical theories, which was what Arcane Mathematics was known for. Yet here was their professor, starting with a seemingly philosophical question.
"What is magic?" Lynn repeated, before answering, "Magic is a method by which wizards manipulate the forces of the world. It's a way to achieve specific effects that would otherwise be impossible."
He paused, giving them a moment to digest that.
"However, to truly understand magic, we must first understand the underlying principles—the very rules that govern these forces. These rules are mathematical in nature."
That statement piqued the students' interest.
Lynn continued, "You might think that magic is an art, something that comes naturally, or that it's passed down from one wizard to another. But what if I told you that magic is more like a science? That every spell, every incantation, every potion is based on a set of rules—a system of knowledge that can be understood, learned, and even improved upon?"
He began drawing a simple diagram on the board—a triangle.
"This is a basic geometric shape," he said. "In geometry, a triangle is defined by its three sides and three angles. But this simple shape can be used to describe a multitude of things—distances, forces, directions. In the same way, mathematical principles can describe the forces that wizards manipulate."
Lynn pointed to the three corners of the triangle, labeling them as "Energy," "Focus," and "Control."
"These are the three essential elements of any spell," he explained. "Energy is the raw power you need to cast a spell. Focus is your ability to direct that power toward a specific effect. And Control is what allows you to shape that effect as you wish."
A hand went up in the back.
"Yes?" Lynn acknowledged the student.
"How does this relate to actual spellcasting?" the student asked, his tone skeptical.
Lynn smiled. "A fair question. Let's consider a basic fireball spell—a spell most of you are likely familiar with. The energy required for the fireball comes from your own magical reserves or from the surrounding environment. Focus determines how large and how far you can project that fireball. Control is what allows you to decide whether you want to ignite a candle or incinerate a target."
The students were listening more intently now, a few of them taking notes.
"But here's the crucial point," Lynn said, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "What if you could enhance these elements? What if, through mathematical analysis, you could increase the efficiency of your energy use? What if you could calculate the exact angle of projection for maximum impact? What if you could fine-tune the control to ensure perfect precision every time?"
He paused to let that sink in.
"This is where Arcane Mathematics comes into play. It's the study of these principles. It's about understanding the deeper structure of magic so that you can master it in ways that were previously unimaginable."
Lynn finished writing the word "Optimization" on the board, underlining it twice.
"Today, we'll begin with optimization—a fundamental concept in Arcane Mathematics. Understanding how to optimize your spells will give you an edge in your magical studies and practical applications."
He turned back to the class, his eyes sweeping over the students, who were now fully engaged.
"Shall we begin?"
With that, Lynn dived into the first lesson, carefully guiding them through the initial concepts of optimization, showing them how mathematical principles could be applied to magic in real and practical ways.
By the end of the lesson, even the most skeptical of students seemed to be reevaluating their preconceptions about magic and its potential.
Lynn had achieved his first goal—sparking curiosity and interest in a subject that had initially seemed daunting to most.