บท 3: Chapter 3: The Future Frost Goddess

Initially, Sophia merely scanned the square. However, upon catching sight of Luca in the corner, she was instantly captivated by him. The boy not only had an outstanding appearance but also exuded an indescribable charm that made people feel inexplicably drawn to him.

Noticing Sophia's gaze, Luca had a thought. "Could it be that my maxed-out charm is at play?" he mused inwardly.

Maxed-out charm not only enhanced his looks but significantly increased NPCs' impressions of him. Therefore, even in a crowd, he could easily attract the attention of NPCs.

With this realization, Luca felt reassured. Under the scrutiny of various players, he walked calmly to the front of the carriage. He slightly bowed, maintaining a respectful yet confident demeanor. "Miss Sophia, is there something you need from me?"

[Ding! Sophia's Favorability toward you +10]

Seeing the notification, Luca couldn't help but marvel. This charming attribute truly surpassed the conventional; it was so easy to gain favor!

The maximum favorability with NPCs is 999 points. The level of favorability not only determines whether players can trigger quests from NPCs but also affects the NPCs' attitudes toward players. Hence, in the world of Eternal, if players want to elevate their status within a faction, favorability and reputation are two indispensable elements.

At this moment, Sophia found Luca increasingly pleasing to the eye. She examined him and asked, "Are you an Apprentice Mage?"

"Yes," Luca nodded, not surprised that Sophia could identify his profession. The nobles in the Eternal world were generally Transcendent-level beings, and Sophia, as the daughter of an earl, was no exception.

Moreover, Luca could discern her profession as well. His maxed-out perception attribute allowed him to keenly sense the biting cold and strong water element surrounding Sophia. She was at least a Golden-level Ice Mage.

In the Eternal continent, there were ten foundational levels: Black Iron at level 10, Bronze at level 20, Silver at level 30, Gold at level 40, Platinum at level 50, Purple Gold at level 60, Diamond at level 70, Earth at level 80, Sky at level 90, and Stars at level 100. Depending on strength, they were also divided into five tiers: Beginner, Low-tier, Mid-tier, High-tier, and Superclass.

Beyond these tiers, there were indeed a few more levels, but they were already at the Transcendent level. This noble daughter had reached Golden-level at such a young age; she might very well have the opportunity to reach Transcendent in the future.

Sophia then said, "Are you heading to the Mages' Guild? Would you like us to give you a ride? We're headed there as well."

The other players exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions filled with confusion. The few players who had been expelled from the main city for blocking a carriage wondered why this boy was allowed to ride in one.

Everyone was a player; being attractive shouldn't warrant special treatment!

Cassman also shot a surprised glance at Luca. Not only was it unusual for the noble lady to invite a male onto the carriage, but she rarely spoke to men at all. So what had changed this time?

Yet, upon seeing Luca's handsome face, Cassman suddenly understood. Come to think of it, the lady was approaching adulthood…

Knowing this was a result of his charm attribute, Luca didn't refuse the offer.

The Mages' Guild was just a few streets away from the Fountain Square, and having the carriage would save him a considerable amount of time. This way, he wouldn't have to spend hours competing with other players for quests like he did in his previous life.

"Thank you very much, Miss Sophia." After expressing his gratitude, Luca stepped into the carriage amid the envious gazes of the other players.

As he lifted the curtain of the carriage, a faint yet pleasant fragrance wafted out, reminiscent of jasmine. The interior of the carriage was spacious, adorned with an incense burner, fruits, and pastries. The decor was luxurious and exquisite, and from some of the embellishments, it was clear that this carriage was designed specifically for women.

At that moment, Sophia was seated on a laid-out blanket inside the carriage.

As he drew closer, Luca noticed that this noble daughter was not only beautiful with her fair and delicate skin, but her light blue eyes were remarkably clear, resembling a pristine lake without any impurities, bright and transparent.

Everything was perfect, except for her cold demeanor, Luca thought to himself.

This coldness was not just in her temperament; it also had a tangible chill. The temperature inside the carriage was significantly lower than outside, clearly influenced by this noble daughter.

Soon, silence fell within the carriage. Sophia was not one to engage in idle chatter, and Luca didn't want to make things awkward.

Moreover, he had a nagging feeling that the name Sophia sounded familiar.

Furrowing his brows in thought, Luca recalled something from a long time ago. He remembered that during the fifth year after the emergence of monsters, when the extraterritorial battlefield was first opened up, there had been a legendary mage known as the "Frost Goddess" in the Eternal world.

She had once sacrificed her life to freeze the Spatial Nodes of two worlds, delaying the second arrival of the monsters and buying valuable time for the Human Race and other races in the Eternal world. It was during that time that the Human Race and other races united to redirect the location of the monster invasion to the cosmic void, which ultimately led to the creation of the extraterritorial battlefield.

And the name of this "Frost Goddess" was Sophia.

The reason Luca was uncertain was that the current Sophia, a mere Golden-level mage, seemed quite different from the legendary Frost Goddess who had successfully ascended to godhood five years later.

Luca was well aware of the vast difference between these two realms. Because of this, he hesitated to confirm whether this earl's daughter was indeed the Frost Goddess.

Just then, the carriage came to a gentle stop.

He heard Cassman's voice from outside. "Kid, we've arrived at the Mages' Association."

Luca's thoughts were interrupted, and without further contemplation, he was the first to exit the carriage.

As he stepped out, a uniquely shaped Mage Tower came into view. The Mages' Association resembled a black pointed hat resting on the ground, with a diamond-shaped magical crystal floating at the very top. The crystal spun, emitting a blue glow that formed a massive barrier, enveloping the entire Starlight City.

Through the grand door of the Mages' Association, he could see a magnificent hall inside, bustling with people dressed in various colorful mage robes. At the front desk stood a small, thin old man with white hair.

At that moment, both the people at the Mages' Association and the old man were staring at Luca and Sophia, who had just stepped down from the carriage, with expressions of shock.

"Am I seeing things? That rookie just got out of Miss Sophia's carriage, right?" one of the mages rubbed his eyes and asked the person next to him.

"How could you mistake the carriage? You surely recognize Sir Cassman, right?" the other replied with admiration. "In the entire Emerald State, the only ones who can have him drive their carriage are Count Ryan and his noble daughter, Miss Sophia!"

The crowd fell silent, looking at Luca with a mix of envy and awe.

They could easily tell that Luca was just a rookie who hadn't even become a Formal Mage yet. Given his novice robes, he probably just entered Starlight City that very day.

Yet this newcomer, who had been in Starlight City for less than a day, had caught the attention of Miss Sophia?

Everyone felt a twinge of jealousy toward this rookie. If it were them, they would be dreaming of such an opportunity!

However, upon seeing Luca's face, they felt a bit more balanced. It made sense; some people were just born for this kind of life, and no amount of envy would change that.

At this time, Luca and Sophia entered the Mages' Association.

Sophia explained, "This is the highest-ranked Mages' Association in Black Iron County. It contains a wealth of knowledge and materials about mages. If you want to buy or sell items or have any questions, you can come here. If there's something you really don't understand, you can go to the second floor to find a magic instructor; that's where their office and library are located."

Although Luca was already aware of this, he still expressed his thanks.

[Ding! Sophia's Favorability toward you +10]

Sophia nodded slightly and turned to the short old man at the front desk. "Old Charlie, we have a newcomer here. Please arrange a simple beginner's quest for him."

"Of course, Miss Sophia!" Old Charlie nodded vigorously and quickly stood on a stool to get a quest card for Luca.

"Wishing you the best in becoming a Formal Mage soon." After everything was settled, Sophia said a few words to Luca and headed toward the upper levels of the Mage Tower.

The different levels of the Mage Tower represented different mage ranks, and someone of Sophia's Golden-level wouldn't be taking quests or trading in the lobby at the bottom.

Luca turned his attention back to Old Charlie, who was still searching for a quest for him. After some time, he finally picked out a purple quest card from a pile of options.