After some introductions from the lady with the ponytail, Leya finally grasped the general nature of the Magic Association.
To begin, the Magic Association boasted the affiliation of approximately eighty percent of all mages within the Aralvia Kingdom. It served as the largest comprehensive exchange and training hub for mages in the realm.
While the number of mages cultivated here was modest, each one was undeniably worthy of being called ‘Excellent’.
Furthermore, from its very inception, the Magic Association had pledged not to engage in national politics as a political entity in any form. This was to prevent a scenario where the President of the Magic Association might wield excessive power and seize control of the nation.
Yet, despite these regulations, some mages inevitably exploited loopholes in the treaties, leading to widespread disaster and immense suffering across the nations.
Consequently, centuries ago, the royal families throughout the continent collectively signed what became known as the ‘Magic Association Protocol Charter’.
This treaty unequivocally declared that should any nation’s Magic Association dare to cross the forbidden line into politics, the surrounding nations would unite to suppress it, thereby securing the stability of the royal family’s rule.
In essence, to this day, the Magic Association has fully established itself as a major non-governmental social organization, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Adventurers’ Guild.
It has thrived for centuries without any further political crises, leading a rather prosperous existence.
So, why was it mentioned earlier that this place cultivates only a small number of mages?
This scarcity primarily stems from the exorbitant costs involved. Training a mage from the most fundamental stages requires an immeasurable amount of precious elixirs and specialized equipment.
Indeed, behind every successful mage, there invariably stands a formidable family power providing support.
For a mage, the most crucial factors are undoubtedly the quantity of their inherent magic and their mastery over it, which dictates the potency of the spells they can unleash.
Have you not noticed how often the System has bestowed rewards, with magic potions being the most abundant? It practically floods Leya with them, as if fearing that a lack of potions might hinder her speed in mastering magic.
(Leya inherently possesses divine power, an endless wellspring of magic, making her a walking source of magical energy. Therefore, her only requirement is to swiftly learn how to control this power.)
Could these potions truly be so inexpensive that the System can hand them out freely, making them utterly commonplace?
Certainly not! Since ancient times, magic potions have been regarded with the utmost importance as national strategic reserves.
However, the ingredients required for these potions are incredibly difficult to procure. The limited supply circulating in the market is insufficient to meet demand, even reaching a point where they are priceless yet unobtainable.
This clearly demonstrates their immense value.
It’s likely that if Leya didn’t perceive these magic potions—which the System sends her by the basketful, as if they were common cabbages—as worthless, she could, at this very moment, become a renowned wealthy merchant simply by selling the ones she possesses!
[The System: *sobs internally*, ‘Am I truly to blame for this? Is it my fault for sending too much?’]
“My Lady,” the woman began, “given that this is your first time registering as a member of the Magic Association, you will need to pay ten gold coins and submit a brief personal profile.”
“Mm…”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Leya paid the ten gold coins. The lady with the ponytail stared, her eyes wide with astonishment, marveling at how differently nobles spent their money.
Ten gold coins were tossed aside without even a blink!
In truth, Leya had no idea what the purchasing power of these ten gold coins actually was, so she felt no pang of regret in spending them.
To illustrate, she currently had no concept whether she had spent the equivalent of one unit or a hundred units from her previous life…
“My Lady, did you not bring your magic communicator today?”
“A magic communicator? Ah… oh, right, I forgot.”
Leya nodded vaguely, utterly bewildered by what a ‘magic communicator’ even was. Yet, she was a noble now, after all!
To admit she didn’t have one would surely be a blow to her status…
Putting those thoughts aside, the lady with the ponytail leaned down as if searching for something. Soon, she straightened up, presenting Leya with a watch-shaped device.
With a press, a two-dimensional projected image materialized out of thin air!
No, wait. Perhaps this wasn’t merely a projection, but a truly existing magical system, because…
“In that case, My Lady, why not use this magic communicator for now? Just fill in your basic identification information.”
“Mm…”
Leya took the magic communicator with a blank expression, unsure how to even begin.
However, having lived in a high-tech society, she was hardly incompetent. After a moment of staring blankly, Leya finally figured it out, thanks to the System’s subtle hints!
‘Though it seems that last part didn’t really have much to do with the first, did it?’
Cough, cough, cough!
Astonishingly, the magic communicator allowed information to be input telepathically! This was black technology—no, ‘magic-tech’ was the more appropriate term now.
The System mentioned it was constructed using dual magic arrays of light and spirit.
Time to fill in the information. Leya simply scribbled whatever came to mind; after all, no one would know the difference.
For this purpose, she specifically asked the lady with the ponytail for the current date: ‘Year 5016 of the Seventh Era,’ to conveniently fill in her birth date.
‘Though, thinking about ‘Seventh Era’ now, it’s quite intriguing.’
“Excellent, Miss Leya,” the lady with the ponytail said cheerfully, “Congratulations! You are now an official member of the Magic Association!”
“Here, if you wish to study magical knowledge, you may visit the grand library on the third floor. Should you desire to apprentice yourself to a master, the Human Resources Department on the second floor can provide information.
For quiet, solitary cultivation, there are meditation chambers also on the second floor. And if you seek practical combat training, a dedicated arena awaits you on the first floor, just to the left of the entrance. I am confident it will meet your expectations!”
“Mm…”
After offering a few perfunctory replies to the lady with the ponytail, Leya promptly departed from the service counter.
Regarding improving her strength, Leya believed the fastest method would be practical combat training. However, with her current lack of power, she would likely be easily defeated.
Thus, she dismissed that option.
Next came seeking a master, followed by meditation and reading, which she considered equally viable.
‘Apprenticing herself to a master seemed unnecessary,’ Leya mused. ‘Hmph, a bunch of mortals wanting to be *my* teachers? What could they possibly teach me? Could they instruct me better than the classic magic texts? No, that’s out of the question.’
That left only meditation and reading. As for reading, she could do that on her own; there was no need for a library.
Therefore, the only place she could really go was the meditation chamber?
Just as she was deep in thought, a venerable old man suddenly blocked Leya’s path.
His hair was white as crane feathers and silver as spun silk, yet his face glowed with robust health. He walked with a vigorous stride, radiating vitality and spirit.
The immense magical fluctuations that occasionally emanated from his body caused Leya’s heart to tremble.
“Uh, who are you?”