A Magician’s Arrival

“Brother, Father wants to see you. Could you step out for a moment?”

One day, while Ai Ou was occupied in his room, his younger sister suddenly appeared, calling for him.

Following his sister, Ai Ou arrived in the castle’s great hall. His entire family was gathered there, along with a stranger. Dressed in black robes, the man had white hair and a wrinkled face. He observed Ai Ou with a benevolent expression as he approached.

“Ai Ou! Come quickly! Come over here and let the Magician test you!”

“…???”

‘A Magician? Could Father have been conned by some charlatan?’

Ai Ou harbored no belief in such supernatural nonsense.

Having been a staunch believer in Marxism from a young age, he naturally understood the principle that ‘after the founding of the nation, no spirits are allowed to become sentient.’ Supernatural powers? Mere paper tigers.

The white-haired elder, observing the look in Ai Ou’s eyes, immediately seemed to understand something. He then extended his palm.

Before long, with a visible strain, he conjured a small fireball from his hand.

Once successful, he gazed at Ai Ou with a triumphant air.

Witnessing the small fireball hovering in the air, Ai Ou’s heart grew complicated.

He had always assumed his world was merely a parallel dimension akin to medieval Europe. He never imagined it was a realm of swords and magic!

His worldview shattered in an instant, but it was of no great concern. He would simply construct a new one.

Eighteen years prior, Ai Ou had transmigrated to this current world. His father, Allen White, was a knight who held the title of Baron and ruled over his own small fief. Though modest in size, the land was entirely his father’s.

He had originally prepared himself to inherit the family estate, living out his days in comfort. Even though his father was only a Baron, he still belonged to the noble class. In the Middle Ages, nobility was synonymous with privilege, granting access to high society. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this status would ensure a comfortable and secure life.

However, to his surprise, his father, Allen White, the Baron, had inexplicably found a Magician to conduct magic aptitude tests for the family members. Only Ai Ou remained to be tested.

The Magician, named Oreo, now stood in his black robes, placing one hand on Ai Ou’s head and diligently assessing his magical talent.

“Esteemed Magician, tell me, does my son, Ai Ou, have a chance?”

Allen watched as the Magician tested Ai Ou’s aptitude, his expression anxious as he swallowed repeatedly out of sheer worry.

Magicians were the rarest, most mysterious, and most revered profession across the entire continent. While other professions like knights, swordsmen, archers, and assassins existed, it was undeniable that Magicians held the most noble status among them all.

Magical aptitude was an exceedingly rare trait, typically found in only one person out of tens of thousands.

“Sir Allen, Young Master Ai Ou indeed possesses the talent to become a Magician. Without professional tools, I cannot precisely determine the extent of his aptitude, but I can affirm that he will become an excellent Magician in the future.”

Oreo removed his hand from Ai Ou’s head, speaking with a hint of surprise.

As a Magician himself, he possessed the inherent pride of his profession. Although he was merely a First-Tier Magician, he carried the Magician’s inherent arrogance. Had it not been for the exorbitant fee Allen offered, which more than covered his travel expenses, he wouldn’t have even spared Allen a glance.

He was merely a Baron. Even Marquises and Earls usually treated him with utmost respect. To Oreo, a Baron was no different from an ordinary commoner.

He had initially thought it impossible for someone with magical talent to emerge from such a backwater region. Yet, to his astonishment, he had truly discovered a shining pearl.

Upon hearing the Magician’s words, Allen White became incredibly excited, repeatedly patting Ai Ou’s back, his beard trembling with joy.

Ai Ou was the only one among Allen’s many children to test positive for magical aptitude. All his other offspring had been pronounced ‘magically barren’ by Oreo.

“So, does this mean Ai Ou will at least become a First-Tier Magician in the future?” Allen asked excitedly.

“No, I estimate he’ll likely achieve higher tiers. At minimum, I’d predict he could become a Third-Tier Magician… at least theoretically speaking.”

Sensing that Ai Ou’s innate magical talent surpassed his own considerably—and he was only a First-Tier Magician—Oreo extrapolated based on his own experience to assess Ai Ou’s potential.

Upon hearing this, Allen’s face flushed crimson with excitement.

He understood the profound implications of a Magician’s birth. As long as Ai Ou eventually became a Magician, even if only a mere Magician’s Apprentice, it would bring prosperity to the White family.

Not to mention, once the news of Ai Ou becoming a Magician spread, the prince who had granted him his barony would undoubtedly elevate his peerage by a rank, making him a Viscount. His fiefdom would double in size, and his taxes would rise accordingly.

However, Ai Ou seemed rather downcast after hearing Oreo’s words, not displaying the same joyous excitement as his siblings and parents.

Though he didn’t know how the tiers of this world were classified, hearing that he could only become a Third-Tier Magician immediately suggested his talent was quite ordinary. In novels, which protagonist didn’t possess Eighth or Ninth-Tier talent, or become a Sword Saint or Archmage, casually casting forbidden spells? Why, when it came to him, could he only become a Third or Fourth-Tier Magician?

‘Three years, then another three years, and now eighteen years have passed, Officer! I didn’t wait eighteen years just for such ordinary magical talent. What’s the difference between this talent and that of a commoner? In a world of magic, I’d probably still get utterly crushed.’

Oreo observed Ai Ou’s composed demeanor, his lack of arrogance, and couldn’t help but hold him in higher regard.

Magicians were typically haughty, looking down on ordinary people, viewing them as abandoned by the gods. But since Ai Ou possessed magical talent, Oreo instinctively placed him on an equal footing.

Wanting to foster a good relationship, he retrieved a somewhat wrinkled, yellowed book from his robes and handed it to Ai Ou.

“This is my Magician’s notebook. I hope it will be of some help to you.”

“Thank you, Magician. Perhaps we can climb mountains together someday!”

Ai Ou accepted the notebook. Witnessing Oreo bestow such a precious gift upon his son, Allen White offered an additional dozen gold coins as a token of gratitude.

Though the considerable sum spent on Oreo caused Allen a pang, he believed it was all worth it.

Oreo, carrying the hundreds of gold coins he received from Allen White, departed happily, resuming his journey.

Simply giving away an apprentice notebook he no longer used, and receiving enough wealth to sustain a commoner family for over a decade, was an incredibly profitable transaction.

Ai Ou took Oreo’s notebook to his room and began to peruse its contents.

The scribbled handwriting, reminiscent of a doctor’s chaotic script, forced Ai Ou to expend extra effort in deciphering it.

The hundred-plus page notebook contained over a hundred pages of useless drivel, mostly Oreo boasting about himself, enough to make one fall asleep. Ai Ou began to suspect that Oreo truly was a charlatan.

Fortunately, upon reaching the very last page of the notebook, Ai Ou’s eyes lit up.

This page documented a common meditation technique used by Magicians, capable of refining mana. At the bottom, there were also two or three basic spells, including the Fireball spell Oreo had demonstrated earlier.

‘Not bad. This Oreo actually has some conscience. Otherwise, I had already decided that the next time I saw him, I’d twist his head off, lick it, and then dunk it, turning him into a real Oreo.’