NOVPUBThe mage stared at Claude, his face a mix of shock and doubt.
“Thirty years, you say?”
“Yes. That’s the standard for becoming an official mage of this territory. It’s not a long time, really. We’ve got folks here with contracts over 200 years... I mean, other territories enforce similar terms. If it’s less than that, it’s hardly a proper arrangement.”
“W-Well, I suppose that makes sense...”
The mage nodded reluctantly, though he knew it wasn’t entirely true. Contract lengths varied widely depending on the mage’s skill and goals—some lasted only a few years, while others spanned decades. But Claude’s commanding tone left little room for debate.
The mage hesitated, weighing his options. At his age, thirty years was no small commitment—practically a lifetime. But the perks were irresistible: access to a mana convergence formation, lessons from a 6th-circle mage, and a promise of light workload.
The only real concern was the precarious reputation of Fenris. While the territory was thriving in the North, there were rumors of conflicts with powerful duchies. As a wandering mage, he’d heard whispers of Fenris challenging prominent noble families.
Sensing the mage’s uncertainty, Claude called for Vanessa.
“You summoned me, Lord Steward?” Vanessa asked, stepping into the room.
“Ah, Vanessa, this gentleman wanted to meet you. He seems very curious about your expertise.”
The mage turned toward Vanessa and froze in disbelief.
‘Is this really the 6th-circle mage?’
She was too young. He had never heard of anyone in the kingdom reaching the 6th circle at her age. And her appearance—a mess of tangled hair and an absentminded gaze—only deepened his doubts.
Her demeanor resembled a recluse scholar who hadn’t seen the outside world in weeks. Her wide-eyed innocence didn’t help.
“Are you... truly a 6th-circle mage?” he asked cautiously.
Vanessa blushed, fidgeting with her hands.
“Y-Yes... though I still have much to learn...”
The mage frowned. She lacked the confidence and arrogance typically associated with mages of her caliber. High-ranking mages were often insufferably haughty, their egos as formidable as their abilities.
‘Is this a scam? Are they trying to trick me?’
He considered asking her to demonstrate a 6th-circle spell but decided against it. Mages were notoriously volatile; the last thing he needed was for her to lash out in a fit of indignation.
Instead, he cautiously asked,
“Actually, I’ve been studying resistance to lightning magic, but I’ve hit a wall. Would you mind providing some guidance?”
Vanessa brightened immediately.
“Of course! Ask me anything—I’ll help however I can.”
Encouraged by her enthusiasm, the mage produced a book and pointed to a specific section.
“I’m stuck on this part. It seems to contradict the basic principles of mana flow...”
Vanessa glanced at the page, clapped her hands, and began explaining.
“Oh, I see where you’re stuck! The key here is the interaction between opposing mana currents, which creates unavoidable resistance. This resistance generates heat loss, which in turn disrupts the flow of lightning mana by...”
“Ah... ahhh!”
As Vanessa spoke, the mage’s eyes lit up with understanding. Her detailed explanation unraveled the problem he’d been grappling with for months.
‘It’s true! She’s really a 6th-circle mage... or at least a 5th-circle one! Her knowledge is leagues beyond mine.’
The mage was awestruck by her ability to deconstruct and articulate complex magical theories. It was as if she was taking the spell apart piece by piece and reassembling it before his eyes.
‘She’s nothing like other mages. They usually guard their knowledge jealously, sharing only scraps after endless servitude. But she explains everything so clearly and generously!’
By the time Vanessa had spoken for over an hour, Claude was dozing in his chair, while the mage was practically vibrating with excitement.
“I get it now! I finally understand!” the mage exclaimed.
“I’m so glad to hear that!” Vanessa replied with a warm smile. “Is there anything else you’d like to ask?”
The mage eagerly pulled out another book from his bag, but before he could open it, Claude, now awake and wiping drool from his chin, intervened.
“Hold it, hold it. That’s enough for today.”
“Why? Just one more question!” the mage pleaded, desperation in his voice.
Claude shook his head.
“There are others waiting. You can’t monopolize our mage like this—it’s unfair.”
The mage looked utterly devastated, as if the world had ended.
“Please! I’ll sign the contract! Just let me keep learning from her!”
Claude raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, really? So you’ll join our territory?”
“If I join, I can keep learning from her, right? You promise?”
Claude smiled reassuringly.
“Of course. You’ll be working alongside her every day. You’ll probably get sick of magic before you know it.”
The mage didn’t hesitate, stamping his seal on the contract.
With his limited talent, breaking through his current barriers seemed impossible on his own. Joining Fenris felt like the perfect solution.
“I’ll be in your care,” the mage said with a bow.
“Absolutely. Follow the attendants, and they’ll assign you a room in the research institute,” Claude replied smoothly.
Once the mage left, Claude slumped back in his chair and muttered,
“Ugh, what a hassle. Why do they always play hard to get? Just sign the damn thing and be done with it.”
Vanessa, watching Claude with a mix of guilt and admiration, remained silent. She couldn’t shake the feeling that her presence was indirectly enslaving wandering mages.
But the results spoke for themselves. Within days, every visiting mage had been convinced to sign a contract. Some even begged to join after seeing Vanessa’s expertise.
In total, twenty mages were recruited—a remarkable feat, considering the rarity of skilled mages. And their numbers were only expected to grow.
The new recruits, for their part, were thoroughly impressed with Fenris’s facilities.
“I heard this territory was rich, but this is beyond my expectations.”
“Even the dwarves contributed to the construction. The design is both functional and beautiful.”
“Where do they get the funds to provide mana convergence formations for every mage?”
For many of these mages, it was their first time seeing such luxuries. Those capable of acquiring a mana convergence formation on their own rarely remained unaffiliated.
Each night, they trained diligently under Vanessa’s guidance, marveling at her clarity and depth of understanding.
“She’s amazing! I’ve learned more in a week here than in years of wandering.”
“She’s probably busy pushing for the next breakthrough in her research. A true scholar!”
Though they spent their days marveling at Vanessa’s brilliance, they couldn’t help but gather occasionally to reflect on their newfound fortune.
“This is such a comfortable life... Are we really allowed to enjoy it?”
The overwhelming benefits provided to the mages in Fenris began to stir guilt among some of them.
"The treatment here is so good, it's starting to feel uncomfortable. Is there any way we can help the territory?"
"And what's with those Red Tower mages? Why do they always smile at us like that when they pass by?"
It wasn’t a mocking smile—it felt more like pity, mixed with an odd sense of amusement.
As the newly recruited mages busied themselves with training, their guilty conscience only half resolved, a messenger sent by Claude appeared.
“The lord requires your assistance with some territory matters.”
The mages exchanged uncertain glances but quickly adjusted their postures.
"Ahem. Well, I suppose it's time to repay the hospitality. Lead the way."
Despite their arrogance toward commoners, the mages still knew better than to slight the high-ranking members of Fenris.
They followed the guide with their usual haughty airs, only to find themselves at an open field near the research institute. Moments later, several carriages pulled up, and a coachman shouted,
“Flame mages! Anyone with expertise in fire magic, step forward!”
A few mages walked forward hesitantly.
“I am versed in the School of Fire. What is this about?”
“Great! Hop on!”
“...What?”
“Hurry up! We’re on a tight schedule!”
The mages hesitated, confused by the urgency, but climbed into the carriage nonetheless.
From the other carriages came similar cries:
“Wind mages, over here! We need help leveling terrain and assisting with roadworks!”
“This one’s for support spells! Workers need some extra muscle—hop on!”
“Earth mages, this way! We’ve got boulders to clear!”
The newly recruited mages were stunned into silence. The scene resembled an impromptu labor recruitment drive, not something mages of their standing should be involved in.
“Are these fools seriously treating mages like this...?” one muttered, seething.
Before they could protest further, Alpoi and the veteran mages burst out of the institute, speaking over each other.
“Hurry, everyone, let’s get going!”
“Stop standing there like statues—hop on before you’re late!”
“You rookies don’t seem to understand how things work around here.”
The recruits looked at the senior mages in bewilderment.
“W-What exactly is this? Why are we moving like this?”
Alpoi smirked.
“It’s simple. We’ve got construction projects. Clearing rubble, cleaning out drainage systems, digging up land, building facilities, moving supplies—you name it, magic makes it faster.”
The recruits recoiled in shock.
“Mages doing construction work? That’s absurd!”
“Who else is going to do it? You think it’s beneath you? You’re not special. Now get on the carriage before I make you!”
The recruits grimaced but hesitated no longer. The sheer numbers of the veteran mages made resistance unthinkable.
As the carriages prepared to depart, Vanessa hurried over and climbed into one herself.
“What are you all doing standing there? Get in, quickly! We can’t delay the construction schedule.”
“...So that’s why she’s always busy during the day...” one recruit whispered, horrified.
They now understood that even a 6th-circle mage was roped into these projects. She worked construction during the day, taught classes in the evening, and somehow still managed her personal research.
Faced with Vanessa’s authority, the recruits could only grit their teeth and comply.
As the carriages rattled across the territory, Alpoi leaned over to pat one despondent recruit on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. It’s normal to feel like this at first—‘why did I even bother becoming a mage?’ But trust me, it’s not so bad once you adjust.”
“...Understood.”
“Good. And hey, when you’re off-duty, I can teach you how to gamble.”
“...”
Though there were a few defiant holdouts, Alpoi and the veterans swiftly put them in their place. Even an attempted escape was thwarted, the culprit dragged back by a smug Alpoi.
“Weren’t you supposed to be a 3rd-circle mage?” the escapee asked, aghast.
“Construction work makes you stronger,” Alpoi replied nonchalantly.
“...That’s ridiculous...”
“Do I look ridiculous? Now get back to work before I make you regret it.”
Despite their initial resistance, the recruits soon resigned themselves to their fate. The allure of Vanessa’s lessons and the mana convergence formations kept them going, and their dreams of advancing their craft dulled the sting of manual labor.
Meanwhile, the veteran mages had long since abandoned such lofty aspirations. Their only goal was to survive each day with a full stomach and a roof over their heads.
Recruitment Success
Claude’s relentless promotion of Vanessa’s expertise and the mana convergence formations spread far and wide, drawing in wandering mages from beyond the North. Every new arrival was swiftly “recruited” into the Fenris ranks.
“We’re catching plenty of fish,” Claude remarked smugly. “With more mages, construction is speeding up nicely.”
Every new recruit, drawn by the irresistible bait of Vanessa’s guidance and the mana formations, contributed to the burgeoning projects of Fenris.
But with every success came new challenges.
“We’re running out of rune stones,” Claude reported gravely. “The reserves are nearly depleted, and there’s not much left to mine.”
The rapid expansion of the territory, coupled with the heavy reliance on magical infrastructure, had drained Fenris’s resources faster than anticipated.
When Claude delivered the news, Ghislain simply nodded, unfazed.
“Yeah, it was bound to happen. We’ve used them well.”
“...So, what now? Without rune stones, production will slow to a crawl, and we’ll face serious issues with maintaining the mana formations. Even our relations with the tower might come into question.”
Ghislain’s lips curled into a confident smirk.
“We dig up more.”
“...Excuse me?”
Claude paled as realization dawned.
Ghislain’s tone was light, but his eyes glinted with the cold resolve of a man who already knew exactly where to find the next batch of rune stones.
