"Perhaps the only hope for some treatment lies in going to the Wizard's City and seeking out those adept in spiritual magic," Philip sighed, warning Lynn not to get his hopes up.
Though the girl's body remained frozen, showing no signs of change, it had been over half a month now, and her soul likely had already dissipated.
Hearing Philip's words, Lynn couldn't help but feel disappointed. He didn't have a deep connection with Dove, but she had used her soul-weil to aid him in his battle against Archbishop Anluke. Therefore, he was determined to do everything in his power to save her.
"Let's freeze her once more. I happen to know a master of soul magic. Perhaps he can be of some help... if he's not too busy," Herlram suddenly spoke up.
Kevin, Philip, and the others looked at Herlram with surprise. They thought it was quite an extravagant move to involve a master of soul magic to treat a wizard apprentice who was most likely already dead.
Only Theodore's face displayed a hint of resignation. He had expected this turn of events.
"Thank you very much, Master Herlram." Jenny expressed her gratitude with a deep bow.
Lynn, too, expressed his appreciation, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
Following Herlram's suggestion, Dove, now re-frozen, was transferred to the infirmary of the Iyeta's Magic Academy. Lynn and Jenny were each led to their respective accommodations within the academy.
***
"Professor Lynn, this will be your residence from now on." Theodore led Lynn into a room.
Upon entering, Lynn couldn't help but survey the surroundings. The entire room appeared quite spacious, serving not only as a simple bedroom but also equipped with a small alchemy workstation and containers for herb grinding. The room had a well-stocked bookshelf, a comfortable bed, and a desk with chairs. In these times, it could be considered luxurious.
This is the life people should be living...
Lynn sighed inwardly. In contrast, during his time hiding from the Church within the Sekas Empire, he slept on wooden boards covered with straw, struggling to swallow coarse, black bread. He had lived like a refugee.
Indeed, taking the risk to come to the land of the wizards had been an incredibly wise decision.
"If anything is missing, you can request it from Master Herlram..." Theodore added, "Although it's best if it's related to your studies."
"Understood, I'll remember that. If there's a need," Lynn nodded. He wouldn't let a chance for freebies slip through his fingers.
"By the way, Mr. Theodore, can I continue using Sekas Empire's currency here?" Lynn inquired further.
Theodore shook his head. "Of course not. However, you can visit the currency exchange in the harbor and convert these gold coins into the local currency. The exchange rate is roughly two Sekas gold coins for one magic gold coin."
"Furthermore, as an instructor at the academy, at the beginning of each month, you can receive a basic salary of three magic gold coins and a variable amount of research funding, depending on the number of students taking your elective courses."
Theodore explained the professor's salary, the currency exchange process, and the magic currency system in the land of the wizards. Seeing that Lynn had no further questions, he bid his farewell.
The moment the door was fully closed, Lynn's calm expression came to a halt, replaced by a hint of anxiety as he took a seat in the nearby chair.
Telling lies to a powerful wizard like Theodore was something he couldn't do without worrying. Every lie had the potential to be exposed, and if it weren't for the significant commotion they had caused in the harbor town, Lynn would never have come up with this idea.
Luckily, the outcome was as he had expected. The most challenging part was now over, and their situation was even better than he had anticipated. They not only escaped punishment but also received a certain level of favor.
Now, the most important task was to patch up the last loophole and become a full-fledged wizard.
Lynn tapped his index finger lightly on the chair's armrest, continuously contemplating. Earlier, when Theodore explained the responsibilities of a professor, he also provided details about the admission and promotion methods in this harbor city.
Generally, every year at the beginning of the year, children aged twelve in the city were given a chance to test their magical talents. If they passed, they would pay a tuition fee to Iyeta's Magic Academy and become honorable wizard apprentices.
After several years of study, when their magical power growth stagnated, they would break through the final bottleneck by consuming a potion known as the "Source of Magic." This magic potion wasn't easy to obtain and was typically distributed directly by the Wizard's City.
(TL/n - Source of Magic => Mana Source for short)
According to the rules of Iyeta's Magic Academy, apprentices needed to complete one or two courses and gain the recognition and recommendation of the academy's professors to proceed.
Lynn could see that this was a scheme by the various colleges and even the Wizard Council to monopolize the rights of commoners to become wizards.
Of course, on the surface, the Wizard Council provided a noble reason for this: preventing apprentices with ill intentions from gaining access to more powerful magic.
Now, with his newfound status as a professor, Lynn theoretically possessed the authority to apply for the promotion potion from the council on behalf of an apprentice. However, doing so would require him to secretly retain a bottle of the "Source of Magic." Not only would he have to navigate the official process, but he would also face the risk of being reported.
The second channel was to bypass the academy and the Wizard Council to acquire the potion through other means. Such as... purchasing it from the black market.
Where there is demand, there will always be trade. The question is whether the price is right.
Since the "Source of Magic" was a type of magic potion, there must be alchemists who knew how to make it. If Lynn could somehow obtain the formula for this magic potion and create it himself, that would be the safest approach.
With these thoughts in mind, Lynn collected his scattered ideas and began his daily meditation, where the boundless sea of elements once again appeared before him.
Regardless, until he obtained the promotion potion, he needed to ensure that his magical power and mental strength reached their peak.
His original body, Karl, had only been a regular apprentice, with around six months of experience with magic. Fortunately, during the crossover, his soul's fusion had provided him with a substantial increase in mental strength. His capacity for magic had also grown significantly. Following the marginal growth theory in "Basic Magic Compendium," he was likely only two to three months away from reaching that bottleneck...
The three crucial elements hindering his journey to becoming a full-fledged wizard were the required funds to purchase the "Source of Magic," the necessary information about the magic potion, and the time needed to grow his magical power.