"Heh, another little one."
Mage Leo's voice had a slightly grating quality, and the blood-red eye on his forehead even blinked slightly, fixing its gaze on Merlin.
Merlin felt as if his whole body had been frozen under an immense pressure that penetrated him entirely, leaving no secrets hidden.
"Not bad, little one. Your name is Merlin?"
The blood-red eye on Mage Leo's forehead finally closed slowly, and Merlin felt the oppressive force dissipate. The mage before him didn't seem as terrifying as he had moments ago.
Merlin quickly nodded and replied respectfully, "Yes, Mage Leo, my name is Wilson Merlin!"
"Alright, little one, I've got an experiment to finish and am short on time. As a provisional member just joining the Dark Spirit Domain, you have one free chance to choose three Level-0 spell models. Tell me, which three spell models do you need?" Mage Leo asked impatiently.
"Free choice of Level-0 spells?"
Merlin thought for a moment. Perhaps this was a small reward for new members in the Dark Spirit Domain. However, he couldn't decide on specific spells right away, so he responded, "Mage Leo, I'd like some time to think it over before making my selection."
Mage Leo waved his hand dismissively, clearly annoyed. "What a hassle. Fine, go think it over and come back to me when you're ready."
With that, Mage Leo gestured, and the door shut behind Merlin, who still felt a bit dazed. He turned to see Lorinka beside him, giving him a slightly amused look.
She chuckled softly, "So, Merlin, now do you understand why the gray-robed mages assigned us to Mage Leo's tower?"
Merlin nodded thoughtfully. While Mage Leo might indeed be powerful, teaching required more than strength; it also required patience. With such an impatient temperament, it was no wonder that Mage Leo wasn't exactly suited to nurturing students.
Lorinka sighed deeply, casting a glance at Mage Leo's room. "I've been here for nearly three years, and I've never seen Mage Leo step out of his tower, let alone give us any lessons on spell model construction…"
It was clear from her tone that Lorinka shared Merlin's frustration. Those assigned to Mage Leo's tower were already considered less talented, and having a mentor like him, who secluded himself in his tower, only dampened their hopes further.
"By the way, when Mage Leo offered me three Level-0 spells, I said I'd think about it first. Is there a place in the Dark Spirit Domain where I can browse some spell options?"
Lorinka nodded. "Yes, the Dark Spirit Domain has many spells, spellcasting tools, potions, and more, though some require specific conditions to access. Let me take you to the Tower of Myriad Forms, where you'll find everything you need."
Following Lorinka, Merlin left Mage Leo's tower.
※※※
After leading him to the Tower of Myriad Forms, Lorinka turned and departed.
The Tower of Myriad Forms differed from the other towers. It wasn't very tall, but it spanned a large area, and people moved in and out frequently.
Merlin entered the tower and asked a gray-robed mage, "Where can I find records of spells?"
Without looking up, the gray-robed mage replied, "Second floor."
Merlin nodded politely and made his way to the second floor.
Upon reaching the second floor, he felt as if he had stepped back into a familiar world. Rows of shelves lined the room, neatly arranged, with crimson bookshelves holding numerous volumes.
Merlin approached the outermost bookshelf and randomly pulled out a bound volume.
The cover bore mysterious runes, and he couldn't open it.
"Perhaps I need the Dark Spirit ring?"
Remembering Lorinka's reminder, Merlin used his mental power to activate the ring's mysterious rune. Instantly, the ring emitted a light that enveloped the book, and text in the Morta language gradually appeared on the cover.
"Crimson Flame, fire-type Level-0 spell. Can attack any enemy within a hundred meters! Cost: two contribution points."
It seemed to be an area-of-effect spell, though he didn't understand the significance of the "two contribution points."
Looking around, Merlin noticed a nearby spellcaster—a quiet young woman with pigtails and a gentle smile. He approached politely, "Excuse me, could I trouble you for a moment?"
The woman looked him up and down before giving him a friendly smile. "What would you like to know?"
Merlin held up the book and asked, "This 'Crimson Flame' spell is marked with two contribution points. What does that mean?"
The woman's round face softened with a smile, and she explained, "Contribution points can be earned or exchanged. One point requires ten thousand gold coins. You can exchange gold for points by speaking with a gray-robed mage at the Tower of Tasks. Once you have enough points, you can exchange them for spells, potions, or other resources."
Merlin froze, realizing that even a basic spell cost two points, meaning twenty thousand gold coins. The more advanced spells required dozens of points—equivalent to hundreds of thousands of gold coins.
Seeing his reaction, the young woman added, "In addition to purchasing contribution points, you can complete tasks at the Tower of Tasks to earn them. You must be new here, right? Every new member has a starting balance of ten points. You can check your ring to see."
With that, the woman walked away, leaving Merlin to absorb the information.
"Ten contribution points?"
Merlin checked his ring, where the number "ten" was displayed, confirming his starting balance.
He continued browsing the bookshelves. Most Level-0 spells required two or three points, though some needed five points due to their greater power or unique properties.
He even found a Fireball spell, which only required two points, indicating it was a fairly ordinary Level-0 spell.
Despite the abundance of available spells and the relatively low cost of the Level-0 ones, Merlin's attention shifted to a section holding books on mental meditation techniques.
For Merlin, a powerful meditation technique was far more valuable than any spell right now.