A mage? A spell engineer!

Chapter 4 Rorschach's Real Difficulties

"Flagship salad, Orion pie, and, um... Southern pork knuckle... three servings of rice pudding." Bart, a regular at the restaurant, ordered several dishes without even looking at the menu.

What would you like for your main course?

Richard chose sea bass.

"Just like Rick." Rick was Richard's friend's nickname for him, and Rorschach called him that from memory.

"Please! We can order something else and switch things up. Besides, the salad I ordered already has fish in it."

"Okay, Summer Palace pork cutlet, needs applesauce."

"That's all." Richard smiled and handed the menu to the waitress. The tall, handsome, and polite young woman was somewhat dazzled by him.

After a moment's hesitation, Bart, still in a state of excitement, became a little irritable. "You've got it all figured out, hurry up and tell the kitchen! Our stomachs are rumbling like bellows!"

"Bart, please don't do this, we must respect everyone..."

"Dear Rick, I'm the person in this restaurant who respects the waiters the most, and you know why?" Bart tossed a gold coin and caught it. "Because I guarantee you won't find a customer who tips more generously than me!"

Richard was about to say something when Rorschach quickly changed the subject: "We've all passed the test, what are your plans for the future?"

The Imperial Royal Magic Academy's academic system differs from that of other places. In other places, magic apprentices, like craftsmen's apprentices, spend long periods of several years or even more than a decade living like servants under their teachers.

The magic guild is a loose organization, and whether an apprentice can be recognized as a junior mage largely depends on the teacher's whim. Each mage or mage guild's magic tower is relatively isolated.

The empire's experimental and promotional educational methods and assessments in the academies fixed the study period at 4-6 years. Upon passing, one becomes a formal mage and can join the magic tower for further study, where they can learn and research as collaborators, a situation far better than that of traditional magic apprentices.

If they do not choose to pursue further studies, the empire will recruit these low-level mages into the army to become combatants and station them in various parts of the empire to handle magic-related affairs.

Even apprentices who fail the examinations and abandon the path of magic are readily recruited by the military, imperial departments, numerous merchant guilds, and magic associations. Those who can read, write, and calculate fluently will not be wasted, regardless of their magical abilities.

"I think I can understand the Fireball Maniac's thinking now." Rorschach sorted out the information and his thoughts, and understood why the original owner was obsessed with the Fireball spell.

Fireball is the most direct and powerful spell among basic spells. Regardless of whether one passes the test or not, this spell specialization can potentially lead to a career in the military or as a mercenary or bodyguard. These professions require combat skills and offer higher salaries than clerical jobs, making it a core skill that can broaden employment opportunities and increase salary expectations.

Yuan Luoxia's eagerness to find employment was undoubtedly due to family reasons. His parents were merely farmers with a small amount of land, and their advancing age meant a decline in their ability to work, making it unlikely they could support him until he could continue his advanced studies and become a mid-level mage of rank 7 or above. He had initially received financial assistance from the village chief and other local officials to enter the academy, but such assistance was unsustainable.

If one joins the army and achieves military merit, there is a chance to become a military noble, receiving a small fiefdom with tenants and servants, so that one's parents will no longer have to work.

This was Rorschach's original vision, but not Rorschach's current one.

Now that we've come to a world of magic, how could we not explore knowledge and master more wondrous powers?

I don't want to be someone who only knows how to fire fireballs for the rest of my life!

However, Luo Xia couldn't abandon the original owner's parents and leave them to their fate. Money, or more precisely, the funds to support the path of magic, became Luo Xia's biggest problem. At this moment, he couldn't help but sigh at the convenience of being a transmigrator starting in an orphanage on Qidian.com. Being unburdened and carefree certainly reduced a lot of troubles.

Bart's words interrupted Rorschach's thoughts: "Future plans... I'm not really interested in my father's business... What do you guys think about me becoming the Imperial Council's appointed resident mage?"

Bart leaned forward, his interlocked hands rubbing his thumbs together—a habitual gesture when he was calculating. "You might not know, but Old Bailey, the governor of my hometown—Vungoberg—started as a resident mage…and now Old Bailey is my idol! You haven't met that gaunt old man; he's a nice guy, but to be honest, his mind and spellcasting abilities are absolutely terrible! If I were to go down this path, just wait and see, I'll have a seat in the Imperial Council!"

Isn't the leap from a grassroots staff member stationed in a township to the head of a state a bit too big? Luo Xia looked at the ambitious Bart and held back from speaking. He had to admit that the family business association spanning multiple states and provinces of the empire could indeed help Bart.

"Rorschach, what about you? Don't tell me you're planning to join the Imperial Army! My dad told me those noble generals look down on people... You'd be wasting your talent! If you just ask, the Merchant Guild is willing to sponsor you to go to the Magic Tower!"

Rorschach remained noncommittal, jokingly saying, "When this little mage of mine is truly desperate, I'll come and seek refuge with the future councilor."

Rorschach had always been arrogant, and Bart, knowing this, didn't press the matter further, instead asking Richard, "Where's Rick?"

Richard's slow, deliberate words surprised the two men: "I'm reporting to the Imperial Army."

"What does your father mean?"

"My father has already made arrangements. Although I'm joining the army, I will continue to study under the Imperial Army's chief magic advisor..." Richard said this expressionlessly, leaving Bart and Rorschach unable to discern his true intentions.

The atmosphere grew a little cold, and the three ate in silence as the food was served. Rorschach cut a thin pork chop, bigger than his face, the clinking and scraping of the knife against the plate making an unpleasant sound.

"Will we still be able to see each other often in the future?" Bart suddenly sighed.

"It's difficult, but not impossible." Rorschach tasted his main course. The pork chop was pounded into a large, thin shape by a meat tenderizer, and the batter formed a crispy crust. Without the accompanying jam, it had a light salty and peppery flavor.

"After all, this is a world with magic."

"What kind of talk is that?" Bart was completely baffled and fiercely cut the pork knuckle.

"Rorschach is right."

After dinner, Bart suggested going to a pub for another drink. Moonlight Lake Restaurant only offered low-alcohol sparkling wine and beer, which obviously did not meet Bart's "have a drink" standard.

"I was so nervous last night that I didn't sleep well. I need to go back and catch up on my sleep." Rorschach declined the offer, and Richard didn't want to drink either, so Bart had no choice but to give up.

The magical world has always been divided on how to view the fermented nectar. One side praises it as a wellspring of inspiration for art, creation, and magic, while the other denounces it as a catalyst for chaos and folly, a poison to reason and the mind. But regardless, Rorschach had important matters to attend to; he needed to return to his dormitory to be alone as soon as possible.

But Rorschach's single room was already occupied.

When he pushed the door open, he saw a bald, menacing man staring at him.

Sebins, the school's discipline chief, a former imperial soldier, and the only administrator at the Royal Magic Academy who cannot use magic.

(End of this chapter)