Feren didn't get up.
Instead, his gaze sharpened, and his tone shifted.
"One more thing. I heard you sold a Potent Mana Potion at 'The Verdant Phial' a few days ago."
"A potion of that quality is a massive boon to any mage. Why would you sell it instead of using it yourself?"
Alaric had been waiting for this question.
He didn't answer immediately. A carefully measured hesitation crossed his face.
After what seemed like a long moment of thought, he let out a soft sigh.
"Since you've asked, Feren, I see no reason to hide the truth.
The simplest answer is that a potion like that is useless to me."
As the words left his lips, he let his mana flow.
A rich, verdant energy, pulsing with the essence of life, instantly filled the small house.
Feren, who had been sitting calmly a moment before, felt the surge of power.
His eyes shot wide. He leaped to his feet, a single whisper escaping his lips.
"A Wood Element Affinity... and a Level 9 Apprentice!"
Alaric offered a wry smile.
"Yes. It wasn't until I started training on my own that I discovered I had this... small, insignificant talent."
"I tested it using a method from an old book and was shocked to find I possess a Level 7 Wood Element Affinity."
"It's the only reason I was able to cultivate in secret, without a stable supply of crystals."
"I grew up in Baker Town. I saw firsthand the brutality of those who serve the Cult of Bones, so I never dared to reveal my talent."
"I lived as a simple herb gatherer. It's pure luck that I've managed to train to this level in peace."
"My plan was to master a few more combat spells and then leave that place forever," Alaric continued.
"But a local thug, a man named Rob, discovered my saved crystals and intended to kill me for them."
"I had no choice. I fought back, killed him and his men, and fled here immediately, before the Cult could find out."
Feren listened in silence, his expression shifting with every word of Alaric's story.
When Alaric revealed his Level 7 Wood Element Affinity, a flash of unrestrained excitement crossed Feren's eyes.
"This could be my chance," Feren thought.
A deacon of the Sunfire Knights was not only tasked with keeping the peace but also with finding promising recruits for the order.
A Level 9 Apprentice with a strong moral character and a Level 7 Wood Element Affinity was a prize recruit by any standard.
The only issue was his background, but that could be investigated.
After a moment of tense deliberation, Feren made his decision.
He turned to Alaric and gave a formal salute of the Knights.
"To grow up in such a fallen place and still hold onto your integrity... Alaric, I find that truly admirable."
"As for your request to join the Knights, I will personally report this to my superiors.
If all goes well, you will have an answer within two weeks."
Elation surged through Alaric.
His calculated risk had paid off. The Knights were unwilling to let a talent like his slip through their fingers.
Amidst Alaric's profuse thanks, Feren turned and left the courtyard.
The moment he was in an unseen corner of the street, his steady walk broke into a hurried pace.
He rushed back to his residence, locked the door, and pulled a Communication Stone from his dimensional pouch.
After a brief hesitation, he activated it.
"Reporting to the Elder Council. This is Feren in Millian. I have discovered a wandering mage with a Level 7 Wood Element Affinity. He claims..."
Feren repeated Alaric's entire story and then waited silently for a response.
After a long pause, a deep, ancient voice echoed from the stone.
"To possess such talent, and to know the value of patience... a promising prospect indeed."
"He is worth a personal inspection."
"If his story is true, we can accept him. Remain where you are for now. If what you say is verified, a great merit will be awarded to you."
...
Meanwhile, Alaric had no idea his words had already reached the highest echelons of the Sunfire Knights.
But he anticipated they would send someone to verify his story, and he felt no fear.
He really had grown up in Baker Town, and Rob's bullying was common knowledge at the market.
His past, aside from the stain of his birthplace, was spotless.
His gamble to be completely transparent, rather than to hide, had worked wonders.
His only remaining worry was whether his talent was truly enough for the Knights to launch an investigation deep into the territory of the Cult of Bones.
He waited, the feeling much like waiting for a college acceptance letter in his past life.
Except this time, the stakes weren't his education, but his very life.
Fortunately, Feren didn't make him wait long.
Early the next morning, the knight appeared at his door, practically beaming, to tell him that an Elder of the Knights had taken a keen interest in him.
For the next seven days, Alaric barely left his house, focusing all his energy on mastering his new power.
On the seventh day, Feren visited again, but he was not alone.
Behind him stood an old man with a white beard that reached his chest and eyes as sharp as tempered steel.
Before Alaric could speak, Feren introduced him respectfully.
"Alaric, quickly! This is Elder Valerius of the Knights' Logistics Department. He has come specifically for you!"
Alaric froze.
He knew someone would come to investigate, but he never dreamed it would be an Elder.
To achieve the rank of Elder in an organization as vast as the Sunfire Knights, one had to be at least a formal mage—a being truly worthy of the title "Mage."
He immediately cleared his mind, strode out of his house, and bowed deeply.
"My name is Alaric, a wandering mage. It is an honor to greet you, Elder Valerius!"