Chapter 154 - 153: Mutual Aid Association

Chapter 154: Chapter 153: Mutual Aid Association

Gaode’s deduction was spot on. The area intersected by the stream was indeed a habitat for a large number of Red-Eyed Sparrows.

In just one hour, he spotted five more Red-Eyed Sparrows. Under the devastating power of [Flaming Arrow+], every single one was taken down with a single shot.

In other words, in a total of just over two hours, he had earned 6 Gold Coins—equivalent to the price of a 0th Ring Magic Formula.

An hourly wage of 3 Gold Coins.

Even for an official Mage, this was a staggering figure, let alone for a mere Second-Class Mage Apprentice.

Having accomplished this much, Gaode was already preparing to head back.

It was still early. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to push through and completely fill the Origin of the [Red-Eyed Sparrow] in one go, but rather, he was completely out of Mana.

How was a Mage supposed to hunt birds without Mana?

A major reason why Mage Apprentices were merely "apprentices" was that their Mana pool was simply too limited.

Gaode marked his location on the map, planning to return the next day, and then began heading back the way he came.

***

The journey back always felt faster. Before long, Gaode stepped back onto the man-made path traversing the back of the mountain.

He was just about to quicken his pace when someone suddenly hurried out from deeper down the path.

Gaode glanced over. It was a young blonde woman wearing the standard apprentice robes of Cyrus Academy. She was clearly a senior apprentice, as the freshmen were undoubtedly all still stuck playing Gold Miner down at Kuli Cliff.

Gaode concluded that she was likely from the Magic Potion Department. Anyone entering the back mountain had either taken on a [Mountain Patrol] task or was a Magic Potion Department apprentice who regularly ventured into the mountains to tend to the Magic Plants grown there.

However, he didn’t dwell on it, nor did he intend to greet her. Everyone at Cyrus Academy was busy; there was rarely any time for unnecessary pleasantries.

"Gaode?" To his surprise, the woman took the initiative to stop him.

"Do you know me?" Gaode looked at her, entirely certain he had never met this woman before. He was genuinely puzzled.

"My name is Shadi. I’m the chief apprentice of the Magic Potion Department," the young woman introduced herself.

A curious glint flickered in her eyes as she continued. "As you probably know, within the Magic Skills Department, the rivalry between our Magic Potion Department and the Alchemy Department has always been the fiercest. Even our respective instructors don’t exactly see eye to eye.

"As the chief apprentice of the Magic Potion Department, my relationship with Gerry Harrell, the chief apprentice of the Alchemy Department, is naturally just as strained.

"So, when I heard that the madman had lost his mind and gone out of his way to target a freshman in the dining hall, I took an interest and remembered your name.

"Later on, when you came to the Magic Potion Department to turn in the Maiden Clam for your enrollment task, I caught a glimpse of you from afar."

Realization dawned on Gaode, and he offered a polite smile. "Ah, Chief Shadi. I’ve heard a great deal about you. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

He was directly asking why she had stopped him; she certainly hadn’t done it just to say hello.

Shadi chuckled softly. "I was actually planning to find time to visit you at your quarters. I didn’t expect to run into you out here, which is why I called out. Judging by your presence, you must have taken on a [Mountain Patrol] task, right?"

Gaode nodded. There was no point in denying it. However, he remained silent, waiting for her to get to the point.

"I’ll be frank," Shadi said softly. "I want to invite you to join our Mutual Aid Association."

"The Mutual Aid Association?" Gaode raised an eyebrow. It was his first time hearing of it. "What’s that?"

"You’re probably the only person in the entire academy who doesn’t know about the Mutual Aid Association and the Lion Society," Shadi said, spreading her hands in exasperation. Still, since she was extending an invitation, she didn’t mind playing the guide. "You should know that the apprentices at the academy are generally divided into two categories.

"The first category consists of commoner apprentices like us, who earned our places fair and square by passing the academy’s rigorous entrance examinations."

Gaode noticed a distinct sense of pride radiating from Shadi when she mentioned passing the academy’s entrance examinations. For people of her background, it was indeed an accomplishment worth being proud of.

Shadi continued. "The other category is made up of the Nobility apprentices who relied on their family backgrounds to slip into the academy through the back door, just like Gerry Harrell.

"For the most part, commoner and Nobility apprentices can’t stand the sight of each other. The former sees the latter as utterly useless parasites coasting on their ancestors’ glory;

"The Nobility, on the other hand, look down on the commoners’ low birth, believing we have no right to study alongside them... This mutual disdain occasionally escalates into outright targeting.

"Generally speaking, we commoner apprentices are outmatched by the Nobility. They have wealth and influence on their side, while our raw talent takes time to truly blossom.

"Eventually, some commoner apprentices had enough. They stood up and rallied the rest of us, forming an alliance where we could help one another, improve together, and collectively defend ourselves against the Nobility’s harassment. That was the prototype of the Mutual Aid Association.

"Naturally, after the Mutual Aid Association was established, the Nobility apprentices countered by forming their own corresponding organization—the Lion Society.

"The two factions have existed and grown ever since. Now, the moment a new freshman enters the academy, they are immediately scouted and invited by either the Mutual Aid Association or the Lion Society based on their background.

"As a result, every single apprentice at Cyrus Academy is a member of one faction or the other."

Shadi shot Gaode a meaningful look before speaking slowly. "Except for you, that is. Your situation is... complicated. Both sides felt you didn’t quite belong to their camps... which is why you were initially overlooked."

Shadi phrased it vaguely, but it was more than enough for Gaode to understand.

He had entered Cyrus Academy via a letter of recommendation, which naturally disqualified him from the Mutual Aid Association’s prerequisite of passing the entrance examinations.

At the same time, he wasn’t a scion of the Nobility; he was nothing more than a commoner. Therefore, he also fell short of the Lion Society’s requirement of being a Nobility apprentice.

"So I’m stuck in no man’s land," Gaode thought to himself.

"However, I believe that even though you didn’t pass the exams to get in, you certainly aren’t a member of the Nobility either," Shadi spoke up again. "By that logic alone, you meet the criteria for our Mutual Aid Association.

"Therefore, on behalf of the Mutual Aid Association, I formally invite you to join us."

"If I join the Mutual Aid Association, what do I stand to gain, and what is expected of me in return?" Gaode asked slowly after a brief moment of silence.

"You’ll gain access to the Mutual Aid Association’s resources, including valuable intelligence and the support of our members.

"For example, if you need a specific Magic Potion and I happen to be free, you’d only need to provide the raw materials and a nominal fee, and I would brew it for you.

"Or if you want to take on a group task, you can easily find a party among our members. If any conflicts of interest arise during the mission, the Mutual Aid Association will step in to mediate. It’s infinitely more convenient and secure than forming a random party with strangers...

"Or, should you ever need the assistance of other Mages for your final graduation project, the Mutual Aid Association would be there to lend a hand.

"Correspondingly, however, you must also prove your worth to the rest of the members.

"We don’t demand much from freshmen during their first year. We view it as an investment—using the Mutual Aid Association’s resources to nurture our new recruits as a membership benefit.

"But starting from your second year, you’ll be required to demonstrate your value. Otherwise, our resources will no longer be available to you.

"The core principle of the Mutual Aid Association has always been mutual assistance, not a one-way charity," Shadi emphasized.