As a reward for saving Eris, I received a heavy sack filled with gold coins directly from Sauros.
After the kidnapping incident and after skipping a night of sleep on the road, it took me a while, but I eventually got back into the swing of things.
Because the kidnapping interrupted things, I wasn't yet finished with testing the effects of the medicinal remedies I bought.
Still, because I had money, lots of it even, two days later I decided to go out and visit Roa after sword training.
Around 104 gold coins. That was my total budget.
Plenty for anything I'd want!
That morning it was training with Ghislaine again.
Eris was as serious as ever, but she wasn't as arrogant. The last days' events should have greatly humbled her.
After briefly greeting Philip afterwards, I filled my backpack with some gold and decided to head into the city.
But I found Ghislaine and Eris lying in wait for me at the exit.
"Just where are you going?!" Eris stared at me.
Ah, so that's why Philip had easily allowed me to go out by myself with this much money.
He already snitched on me!
"I'm going out."
"Going out… So you're going to go see the city? By yourself?!"
"...Yes."
"Not fair! I never got to go out by myself, not even once!" She stomped her feet in frustration.
"..." I looked at her expressionlessly and said nothing.
"I'm going too!" she proclaimed.
"I guess… It can't be helped."
"Really?!"
"...Yes."
In the end, I had no reason to refuse her.
I think she should be now more well-behaved after the kidnapping incident, so I don't mind her tagging along.
If she crosses the line, I should be more free to act now that she has reasons to respect me apart from just hating me.
"Wait! I'll be ready in a sec! Alphonse! Alphonse!!!" Eris ran off, dashing noisily through the manor, her voice as loud as ever.
"Seraphim," Ghilsaine said.
I turned my head and saw that at some point she had appeared right beside me.
I had to crane my neck to look up at her. Ghilsaine was extremely tall. That was compared to me, but she also seemed taller than anyone else in the manor.
"Your magic is strong, but don't grow overconfident," she warned.
She said that probably because I wanted to go out by myself, as a 5 year old kid.
"...Yes."
Ghislaine looked at me expressionlessly and nodded.
Yeah, I get the picture.
Even if I might be able to kill a Saint rank swordsman with my magic in a 1v1 in certain circumstances, I could just as well lose my life to someone much weaker in a different situation or if I get taken by surprise.
No point in acting arrogant…
One mistake and I might end up like the newbie adventurer in the first episode of Goblin Slayer.
Actually, I seem to recall info about goblins from the novel.
In this world goblins also kidnap females of various races to impregnate them.
What a disgusting trope…
Just why?
Luckily, goblins mostly live on the Millis continent.
"If you're ever in trouble, you can fire off that loud fireball again. I'll come to help," Ghislaine said.
"Okay. Thanks."
"..."
"You taught Eris to shout for you when she's in trouble as well?"
"Yes. What about it?"
"...Nothing. It's that when we were kidnapped I told her to be quiet, but she didn't listen and still loudly screamed for you, and nearly got herself killed."
"If I had heard her, I would have saved her."
"..."
I guess it was a pointless discussion.
The important part there was that Eris didn't care about my opinion.
This should have been solved by now. Hopefully she realized by now just how strong I am.
If not, I would have to take direct action.
After that, Ghislaine nodded and didn't speak anymore.
I thought of my plans for the day as we both stood there in silence.
Eventually Eris returned, in an outfit I haven't seen before.
It was a quite cute outfit with a black-red hat to protect her from the sun, an outfit that seemed a bit out of place when worn by that bratty Eris.
"You look cute," I told her with a light smile.
"Hmph!" She punched me when I complimented her.
Or rather, tried to punch me.
I evaded to the side while stepping back, avoiding her strike.
She was very strong for a 7 year old girl, but I trained like a Shaolin monk since I was 2 years old. I wasn't weak either.
Most importantly, I was already well prepared for a punch the moment I spoke up.
However, after I dodged the first strike, she immediately followed with a kick aimed at my groin.
Pushing both my hands downwards, I narrowly blocked that one as well.
These days Eris began to always launch a follow-up attack, perhaps after the time I first caught her fist.
Sorry, I expected that one as well.
"Hmph!" Eris let out a snort once again and flicked her hair, looking away pouting.
I felt like telling Eris something, but I gave up and only looked at her with pity.
From her expression I saw that there was no need.
…
"Seraphim, do you already have a place you planned to visit?" Ghislaine asked me as we left the gates of the manor.
"Yes. I planned to check out the bookstore and visit the Magicians' Guild."
"The Magicians' Guild?!" Eris seemed interested. "Is it something like the Adventurers' Guild?"
"Yes, but only for magic users. They give out some quests, but it's mostly a store for magicians."
"Are you a member?" she asked expectedly.
"Not yet. Registration costs one gold coin. I'm going to register today."
"Ah! Can I register too?!"
"You need to at least be able to use Elementary rank magic to register."
"Awww…." Eris looked disappointed.
On that note, I asked, "What about your tutor? You don't have any lessons today?"
Eris looked surprised. "Eh? You know about that?!... He isn't here yet!"
"I see…"
As we talked, we left the area where nobles lived and eventually appeared in the mercantile district.
The moment this happened Eris rushed off with an excited scream to browse the nearest stall.
Ghislaine and I silently followed her.
Checking the goods, I casually read their prices and compared them to those from my memory, seeing just how well I remembered them.
I didn't notice anything that seemed to be aphrodisiac for sale again. Was it not on the market just yet?
As we looped around the area, I saw that in the high-end district there was also a bookstore.
I grew interested.
I said, "Hey. It's a bookstore! Let's check it out."
We entered the bookstore.
This one was far larger than the one I was in before.
There were several bookcases inside, all lined up with books for sale.
There was a guard near the entrance keeping watch and two clerks near the counter.
A high-end bookstore.
I began to browse through their stock.
I saw that the different sections of the shop had plaques on them.
One large section was with 'novels and poetry', another with 'history'...
I skipped those.
'Magic'.
It wasn't a large bookcase.
I approached it and checked what was available.
Instantly, I saw that the most numerous were the copies of the magic guidebook I knew well.
Apart from that, there were a few other magic books.
However, the books were mostly on Elementary rank magic, a few at the Intermediate rank at most - these were of common attack magic though.
"What are you looking at?!" It was Eris's loud voice that sounded out right next to my ear.
I then realized that she can't read, so she didn't even know what kind of books I'm browsing.
I said, "It's magic books. But these only go up to Intermediate rank."
"Oh, that's right! I heard Seraphim likes books, don't you?"
"Well, it isn't exactly that I like books, but I like useful books."
"And these here are useless?" Eris asked loudly.
As Eris raised her voice, the two clerks and the guard glared at her.
'Sorry,' I thought inwardly.
I answered Eris, "They are not useless, but they're useless for me."
"Oh, right! Seraphim is a high rank magician!" Eris proclaimed as if suddenly recalling.
"Hahaha. Yeah."
I laughed it off as if it was a joke.
Looking at the slightly amused smirks of the clerk, I also think they didn't take this very seriously.
Meanwhile I noticed one book.
"This book…" I muttered quietly.
"What about it?" Eris stared at the book in question.
"Nothing."
It was a book with the 20 Intermediate-ranked Detoxification magic that I have almost already gone through these days.
It seems it's a popular volume.
The book was 5 gold coins.
After checking it out, I placed the book back on the shelf.
"You're not buying it?"
"Your family already has it in the library, so I don't need it."
"Right! Our library is big!!!" Eris puffed out her chest with pride, hands on her hips.
"It is. But it has barely any books on magic."
"Eh, really?"
"Yep."
As I returned to browsing the books on display, I noticed an expensive-looking one that was locked up in a special case with some other books.
I then pulled out a notebook and started noting down the titles and prices of a few books that interested me.
It didn't seem like these books could allow me to learn any new magic, but reading them shouldn't be completely useless.
"What are you writing?" Eris asked, still standing behind me.
Her face was awfully close to mine as she stared into my notes behind my shoulder.
Eh, so close…
Now that I looked up close, I realized how pretty her face was - her features were very evenly set.
Leaning back slightly, I said, "I'm writing down the books' names and prices."
"What are you going to do with it?!"
"It's to know how much things cost, so I won't get scammed. Do you remember how that guy at the inn tried to scam us?"
"...Right, that guy! He asked us for one gold coin just for a room!" Eris frowned indignantly.
She showed no shame. Maybe she already forgot that she almost went along with it? Convenient.
"So you met that kind of thief!" Ghislaine growled at that time, seeming slightly agitated. "I've been taken advantage of by scum like that many times. Especially merchants that are somewhat educated, they often look down on Adventurers. These guys should just be cut down."
"How evil! I will study to find and cut down those scum!" said Eris.
"Very well. You study to identify them and I can kill them for you."
"Nice! Let's go hunt them together!!!"
The conversation had taken a strange turn.
It seems Ghislaine really took everything literally. Eris is also a kid.
Oh well, as long as Eris is motivated.
I ignored the two and then wrote down a few other books that seemed useful.
Among them there was one on Summoning magic, but I couldn't access and read to check what it's really about.
'Sigu's Summoning Magic. Only 5 gold coins? It seems like a good deal, even if it's about Elementary rank summoning…'
After taking one final look around and noting down what I wanted to, I decided to leave.
If I want to buy magic books, I should probably first consult with Camille. She should have a good idea about things.
"Where do we go next?" Eris asked.
"How about the Magicians' Guild?"
"Yes!!! Let's go there!"
…
I decided to skip visiting the other bookstore in the outer city for the time being.
I have already been there a few days ago, so they might not have anything new, while if I went there with Ghislaine and Eris, the shopkeeper might become more alert and not sell me something like stolen books in the future.
It's because Ghislaine is connected to the reigning noble family which is like the city's governor, the city's police.
I'll go there alone later.
First came the Magicians' Guild.
But before entering the guild, I turned to Eris. "Eris, remember to not talk about how good I am at magic. It's a secret what rank I am."
"G-got it!"
To emphasize, I said again, "I'm serious. Just don't talk about it."
"Yeah, I got it!!!"
Seeing her annoyance meter rising, I faintly smiled at her and turned away.
Even she should have gotten the picture if told directly like this. Today I was here only to check things out.
Though I think Philip should have also drilled into her to not call me Saint ranked, since in the bookstore she just called me a 'high rank magician'.
Ghislaine opened the door for us little kids and we entered the Magicians' Guild.
Glancing at the plaque at the pillar, I read out loud, "The first floor is a store, the second sells magic tomes and materials, and the third is a library."
"There's a store?! Let's check it out!!!"
Seeing how excited Eris was, I felt I shouldn't say no. We went out together to become closer...
Nevermind.
Before I even said anything, Eris already ran into the store with an excited expression and started browsing.
"Seraphim! Look, it's staves!!! You're a magician! Don't you have one?"
"...Not really. A good staff is expensive and a cheap one wouldn't be very useful to me," I said whilst walking in and leisurely taking a look around.
"I see! How much is the best staff here?"
"It's around one hundred gold coins," I replied without checking.
"Eh, not that much!!! Didn't you get lots of money from grandfather? You can get one!"
"I did. But I have different things I want to buy first, so no."
"I see… Then there's no helping it!"
After curiously checking out the staves, Eris noticed a fancy robe. Pointing at the plaque, she asked me, "...What is written here?"
I slowly came over and read the plaque, "It's a coat enchanted to resist Fire magic. It also uses scales from a B-rank monster to protect the chest from slashes."
"And here?"
"It's a hat that can't get drenched even in rain."
"And what is this?"
"It's a dagger that boosts wind magic."
"And this?"
Neither Eris or Ghislaine could read, so Eris was pointing at different cool-looking items and continuously asked me what they did.
She then reached the section with Magic Items.
"This, my lady, is a spoon," I grandly pointed at the item in question.
"I know this!!! But what does it do?!"
I chuckled and said, "It's a Magic Item. When activated, it freezes."
"Freezes what?"
"The spoon freezes. That's what is written here."
"Eh? What's the point of it?!"
I let out a sigh. "That's how it usually is with Magic Items from Labyrinths. They have random effects."
"Magic Items? Are Magic Items different from Magic Tools?"
"Yep. Magic Items are found in Labyrinths. They are naturally formed by being infused with mana inside a Labyrinth. Meanwhile Magic Tools are crafted by people. The difference is that Magic Tools require the user's mana to use and Magic Items don't. But the problem is that Magic Items have random effects and most are useless, just like this spoon. It's difficult to find useful Magic Items."
"Seraphim knows a lot about magic!" Eris nodded.
"I had a good teacher... But I think it's rather basic knowledge. Even Ghislaine should know this."
I glanced at Ghislaine and saw that she was eerily expressionless.
I quickly added, "I didn't mean to insult you. I just meant that you're not a magician!"
"It's fine."
"...Well, let's go to the second floor."
…
When we entered the second floor, I saw Camille sitting behind the counter with a bored expression.
"Hello, Camille," I greeted her as I walked in.
"Oh, Seraph-kun! And… friends." Camille's face stiffened a little when she saw Ghislaine and Eris behind me, or probably just Ghislaine.
I said, "I'm here to register in the Magician's Guild."
Camille turned to me and smiled. "Alright. Are you already able to use Elementary rank magic? It's a requirement to become a guild member without a recommendation."
"Yes."
"Oh my, you're quite talented!"
"Yep, a bit."
Camille smiled. "What kind of spell are you able to cast?"
"Water Ball."
"Alright. Then come over here to prove it. We can't have you wetting the scrolls by accident."
"Okay."
I walked into an adjacent room with Camille while Eris and Ghislaine observed silently; only a bodyguard stayed behind to watch the goods.
Inside the room, I legitimately recited the incantation and cast Elementary-rank Water Ball, then dropped into a bucket that Camille prepared.
I think ordinary magician's are unable to cancel a spell after chanting, so that's why a bucket was there. Once an incantation is started, the spell has to be released somehow.
Camille smiled. "Not bad. How old are you, Seraph-kun?"
"I'm 5."
"Starting magic training at 5, excellent!"
"..."
Camille started leading me outside, "Well, I confirmed that you're a legitimate magician. You can now join the guild. The registration fee is one gold coin."
"Yes, I have it."
"Are there spells from other magic schools that you can also use? If yes, I'll include them in your guild card."
"No."
I wouldn't mind showing these off, but I simply never bothered to remember the Incantations. It didn't matter to me either.
"Well, that's alright. Then let's go back."
When we returned to the counter, I passed Camille one gold coin out of my pocket.
Then I told her the information that she needed to prepare a guild member card for me.
Full name, race, date of birth and so on.
I decided to be honest here.
A Greyrat surname basically means that I'm probably one of countless bastards of the Greyrat family. As long as people don't know that I'm Paul's son, it is fine to use it here.
At least, Philip said that it's fine.
Still, Camille showed great surprise on her face when I told her my full name and stared at me strangely.
Her attitude when looking at Ghislaine and Eris had also changed; I think she fully realized their identities by now perhaps thanks to knowing my family name.
When things were finished, Camille gave me my guild member card with a smile. "You're now an F-ranked member of the Magicians' Guild, congratulations!"
I took a look at it.
The front read:
Name: Seraphim Greyrat
Sex: male
Race: human
Age: 5
Affiliation: -
Magician's Rank: Elementary rank
Guild Rank: F
…
Then on the other side there was more:
Name: Seraphim Greyrat
Magician's Rank: Elementary rank
Fire Magic: -
Water Magic: Elementary rank
Earth Magic: -
Wind Magic: -
Healing Magic: -
Detoxification Magic: -
There was also some empty space below that.
Eris looked over my shoulder at my card and asked, "What's written here?!"
Shuddering from the ear pain, I said, "My rank in various magic types."
Summoning magic and things like Barrier and Divine magic were not included. I guess these were too niche.
"Can't read it!"
I faintly looked at her. "Maybe you should really learn to read then? If you don't, you won't even be able to pick up Adventurers' quests."
"I'll learn it!!!"
Eris made a grumbling expression.
She seemed quite annoyed, but very determined.
I think today's trip really made her realize even more just how important being able to read is.
Camille said, "Seraph-kun, a mage's guild card usually serves as a proof of their skill. Once you learn magic from the other types as well, you can come to me and I'll help you to update your guild card. Updates up to Elementary rank are for free."
"Okay. But what's the difference between different ranks in the guild? Is it only about the quests you can take?"
"It isn't only that…"
Camille explained.
Apart from having the qualifications to accept requests from the Magician's Guild quest board, the guild members' ranks corresponded to different discounts on items and tomes, and granted permission to higher-grade books in the library and in the store.
But it was mostly about requests and discounts.
The main method of ranking up was by fulfilling missions, providing the guild with research theories and magic scrolls, and by forming friendly relations with high-ranking guild members.
Rather than receiving rank based on the magician's power or talent, it seemed to be about someone's influence as a mage.
I already kind of knew most of this, but it was good to receive a full explanation.
"I see. What's the discount for an F-rank member?" I asked.
"It's 5%."
"And what about E-rank and D-rank?"
"It's 10 and 15%."
Eh, it's a big difference!
I wanted to buy some books today, but if I did it now, I would overpay way too much.
As the gears in my head turned, I asked, "What are the ways to jump up ranks quicker than just by doing quests?"
"Well, there are a few. For example…"
Camille started stretching out and pointing at her fingers one by one as she recalled and explained:
"-As long as you can prove that you can cast Advanced rank magic, or Intermediate rank magic in four different schools, you can request to instantly reach E-rank."
"-Alumni from Ranoa University are automatically enrolled as D-rank mages. If they graduate with honors, they are enrolled as C-rank instead."
"-And if you have a recommendation of a C-ranked guild member or above, it is possible to receive a rank up to one grade below theirs."
"-Well, proving that someone can cast Saint-rank magic is also an instant D-rank promotion, but that's an extreme case, so let's not get into it."
I see.
So there are ways, but none of these are applicable for me at this moment.
Putting aside the other options, the one I could use was of course the recommendation.
Roxy had graduated from the Magic University with honors at the basis of both her Saint rank magic and also a thesis, so she had a C-rank status in the Magicians' Guild.
But I'm not interested in getting attention to myself just yet by making a huge commotion.
There was no hurry. I didn't need those books just yet.
First I wanted to at least investigate the red orb and make definite plans on how to tackle the future after doing the research.
Depending on the circumstances, there's a chance that I might update my rank to D-rank soon enough.
Then, on each book that costs 10 gold coins, 15% of a difference in price would be a whole 1.5 gold coins.
I happened to earn a lot of gold all at once, but in the end each silver coin and gold coin is a lot of money. I can't squander the money I've got.
While keeping this in mind, I held off on buying anything and asked Camilla about various things and general advice on how to acquire magical knowledge.