As evening settled in, a cool breeze drifted through the window.
Sakeer, who had been fast asleep, suddenly opened his eyes and shot upright in bed.
"Whew..."
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, exhaled deeply, and muttered under his breath.
"A nightmare?"
He had dreamed of the Bone King — that imposing figure clad in dark robes, glaring down at him with cold, crimson eyes.
"Tch..." Sakeer scoffed, a hint of frustration in his voice.
The Bone King... he's a traverser, just like me. A player... just like me.
"So why should I be afraid of you?"
Taking a deep breath, Sakeer slapped his cheeks lightly to clear his head. He rose from the bed and glanced out the window.
Outside, the sky had turned dark.
He walked over to the guest room window, pushing it open. A cool breeze swept in, washing away some of his lingering irritation.
"I didn't expect to sleep until evening..."
His room, situated on the second floor of the two-story inn, overlooked a narrow alley and the adjacent street. A set of wooden guardrails lined the exterior, but they were old and rickety — barely sturdy enough to provide proper support, let alone deter thieves.
"Not very secure..." Sakeer muttered, shaking his head slightly before closing the window again.
It wasn't surprising. A small inn like this was hardly equipped to stop a determined burglar.
After washing his face to shake off his drowsiness, Sakeer left his room and stepped out onto the streets.
The evening crowd was far thinner than during the day. Only a few groups of adventurers — clad in armor and carrying weapons — roamed the streets, chatting leisurely as they passed.
Earlier, Sakeer had asked the innkeeper for directions to nearby shops.
His first stop was a clothing store.
By the time he emerged from the shop, Sakeer was carrying a bundle of freshly purchased clothes — and now wore a black robe that covered his entire body.
The robe alone had cost him one silver coin and seven copper coins, while the remaining items — simple coarse linen clothes similar to what he'd worn before — accounted for the rest of the total, which came to three silver coins.
The black robe had been the most expensive item, but Sakeer had a reason for choosing it.
He planned to visit the Magician's' Guild next — and showing up in worn, shabby clothes wouldn't leave the best impression.
In the kingdom, all major cities had branches of both the Adventurer's Guild and the Magician's' Guild.
However...
Unlike the grand Magician's' Guild headquarters in the royal capital, the branches in other cities lacked the resources to properly train magic users.
Typically, individuals with promising magical talent would be sent to the royal capital's headquarters for proper education and cultivation.
The reason? Funding.
The Kingdom of Re-Estize held deeply traditional values, and the ruling class paid little attention to the Magician's' Guild. As a result, the guild struggled to secure financial support.
Consequently, these branch guilds had shifted focus — now serving primarily as stores that produced and sold magical items and scrolls to sustain themselves.
The Magician's' Guild in E-Rantel was a simple three-story building with an unremarkable facade. If Sakeer hadn't specifically asked for directions, he might have walked right past it without realizing what it was.
Unlike the bustling Adventurer's Guild, the Magician's' Guild appeared quiet — almost deserted.
No guards stood at the entrance.
But that made sense. After all, no one in their right mind would dare break into a Magician's' Guild.
Sakeer approached the dark brown wooden door and reached out to push it open.
Ding~
A soft chime rang out from above.
Startled, Sakeer glanced upward and spotted a small bell — about the size of a fist — hanging just above the doorway.
A faint reddish glow flickered on the bell above the entrance, pulsing softly at irregular intervals.
A magic alarm?
The thought crossed Sakeer's mind as he observed the bell.
Click!
The dark brown wooden door creaked open on its own.
I see...
A flicker of surprise appeared in Sakeer's eyes. It was certainly convenient, but he doubted the enchanted bell's function was limited to merely alerting staff or opening doors.
With that thought lingering, Sakeer stepped inside. As his foot crossed the threshold, a soft light poured down from above, illuminating the interior far more brightly than he'd expected.
Compared to the rugged and simplistic Adventurer's Guild, the Magician's' Guild was distinctly different.
The hall's design featured a rich red-and-black color scheme. The walls were covered in red wooden panels, with only the lower portion — about waist-high — painted black.
Despite its seemingly modest size, the hall couldn't have been more than 100 square meters. Yet from the building's exterior, it was clear that several rooms and sections lay hidden behind the partitions.
Six wall-mounted lanterns lined the left and right walls, their warm glow complementing the soft white light of a cylindrical chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
At this hour, the Magician's' Guild was nearly deserted.
Only two middle-aged men in mage robes sat behind the counter. One of them, chin propped on his hand, was dozing lightly — so deeply that Sakeer's arrival hadn't stirred him in the slightest.
The other was younger, more alert.
The moment Sakeer stepped in, this man — his name tag reading Vala — shot him a brief glance.
"I'd like to buy some magic scrolls," Sakeer said softly, approaching the counter.
Unlike magical artifacts — which often cost upwards of 1,000 gold coins — magic scrolls were far more affordable. As consumables, their production process was well-developed and efficient.
However...
Because scrolls were one-time-use items, even wealthier adventurers hesitated to purchase them unless absolutely necessary.
"My name's Vala. What kind of scroll are you looking for?"
Vala's gaze briefly lingered on Sakeer's black hair — an uncommon sight in this world. His tone was casual, almost lazy.
"Is there a catalog I can browse?" Sakeer asked, bowing slightly with an awkward smile.
Bang!
Without a word, Vala reached beneath the counter, pulled out a thin book, and dropped it in front of Sakeer. Then, with a bored look, he turned his gaze elsewhere.
His attitude wasn't exactly welcoming, but Sakeer didn't mind. He picked up the book, feeling a little embarrassed.
Only then did he realize...
I still can't read the language of this world.
Fortunately, the catalog included illustrations beside each entry. Sakeer's anxiety eased as he flipped through the pages, relying on the images to understand each spell's effects.
The first section was dedicated to Zero-Tier Magic — spells designed for everyday life rather than combat.
To his surprise, there were far more options than he'd expected.
Many Zero Tier spells offered simple yet practical effects:
Ignition — Instantly lights fires.Perpetual Light — Creates a stable, long-lasting light source.Cleaning — Removes dirt and stains from surfaces or clothing.
Though adventurers rarely carried these scrolls, Sakeer recalled someone from the Rock team mentioning that noble caravans often stocked them to improve travel comfort.
Continuing through the catalog, Sakeer finally found what he was searching for — a Zero Tier scroll for Papermaking Technique.
However, instead of purchasing it immediately, he kept flipping through the pages, curious about what other options were available.
The next section covered First-Tier Magic — fewer in number but far more versatile.
Their effects were noticeably stronger and more practical:
Repair (1st Tier) — Restores damaged objects to their original state.Odorless (1st Tier) — Eliminates body odors or foul smells.Float Plate (1st Tier) — Summons a translucent platform capable of carrying objects.Magic Arrow (1st Tier) — Fires three magic arrows at a target.
Sakeer frowned slightly.
Not many offensive spells... only three in total.
Most of the listed scrolls seemed to focus on utility or support rather than combat.
Then, as he turned to the final page, his eyes widened in confusion.
Huh?
There were no Second-Tier Magic scrolls listed at all.
That's odd...
If Sakeer recalled correctly, human artisans in this world were capable of crafting Third-Tier Magic scrolls. The Slane Theocracy even possessed the rare technology required to create Fourth-Tier Magic scrolls — a precious commodity even among powerful nations.
So, for the Magician's' Guild to omit 2nd Tier scrolls entirely...
It's not that they don't have them...
They're just not for sale.
Most likely, only authorized buyers — or those with sufficient connections — had access to those higher-tier scrolls.
Sakeer closed the book thoughtfully.