The Frugal Mage

"Library Group?" Rayven repeated.

"Yes… One gold coin. Valid for a year. You'll have full access to the First and Second levels. As for the third level, it's possible upon getting permission from the head."

Rayven wryly smiled.

One gold wasn't terrible if he planned to keep coming back, but right now, he only needed one manuscript. Ten silver coins were cheaper. Barely…

"Let me try looking here again…" Rayven said as he returned to the massive number of books on the first floor to try and look for books related to Spell Harmony…

In any case, he was given 5 days by the system…

Rayven walked between the rows of shelves as he considered where to start searching for the scroll or book…

The first floor was indeed filled with ordinary books. Many of them were copies of histories written by kings' scribes, adventurers' memoirs, and philosophical essays no mage would bother with.

Still, he found some titles quite interesting and decided to read them…

Well, he was sure that the manuscript he was looking for was here, thanks to the mysterious system… So he decided to just check some books for now, as there should at least be references.

The first book he opened was titled "On the Wonder and Terror of Spellfire."

It was a compilation of accounts from common villagers who had witnessed magic in their lifetimes.

As he read through it, he slowly realized how powerful Spells could be.

It mentioned a tiny fireball that incinerated a barn and left half a family homeless. Another one mentioned a healing spell that mended broken bones but demanded three months of servitude as payment.

"Huh? That expensive?" Rayven was shocked as he read this.

'Is healing Spell that expensive?' He couldn't help but reconsider his path.

Perhaps, if he somehow found a powerful healing Spell with only one gold coin per use, he would benefit a lot. However, he couldn't just refresh his Skill Market for that possibility.

'If I found one… I have to grab it.' He thought.

Nonetheless, he still couldn't help but frown at this situation. It was obvious… To ordinary people, mages were both revered and resented. Tools of miracles, but after reading through the pages, he realized that they were also considered hoarders of power.

The second book he picked up was titled "Silver and Ash: A Merchant's Notes on Dealing with Mages," which was even more telling.

The merchant author wrote bitterly about how spellcasting had become "a business venture more than an art."

"If you wish to hire a mage to light your furnaces, you must pay the guild a high price or a huge percentage of your business. If you wish to transport your wares safely through the wilderness, you must pay the guild. Even spells to purify your water or extend the life of bread are behind contracts."

Rayven smirked dryly. No wonder magic was seen as expensive. He, too, was essentially paying a guild in the form of a "System" each time he used a spell.

He flipped through another book, this one called "The Chains of Stars: A Farmer's Chronicle."

'A farmer writing a book? They're educated or something? That's impressive…' Rayven mused as he saw it.

It was more poetic, less factual, but the sentiments could be seen in it. The farmer described mages as "children of heaven who know not hunger" and resented that entire villages had to scrape coins together just to pay for a mage's seasonal protection spell against pests.

'This is a good way to earn money, but doing it on farmers with barely enough money to spare is a bit too much, no?' Rayven mused.

The theme was the same. To commoners, magic was privilege and burden alike. Something unreachable, unless you were born into talent, wealth, or both.

Rayven shook his head as he continued reading…

"So this is what most people think…" he muttered.

None of the texts mentioned Spell Harmony directly. But they painted a picture of why mages were only "for nobles".

He picked up yet another text… "On the Foolishness of False Mages."

This one was almost a warning manual, written by a minor scholar. It mocked those who thought they could rise as spellcasters by using tricks or shortcuts.

"Without mana in your veins, without control in your breath, you cannot claim the mantle of mage. Those who rely on devices, or borrow spellcraft without study, will one day pay the price when their false foundation collapses."

Rayven couldn't help but smile after seeing this…

"Then I guess I'm exactly what this author hates."

Even so, he kept reading, page after page. Some books exalted mages as saviors. Others libeled them as parasites.

None, however, spoke in detail about how spells resonated together.

Still, every perspective sharpened his awareness and made him understand the world even more.

Perhaps, he could use this knowledge someday… Either to change their perspective on mages or use this to earn more money…

By the time he stacked the fifth book back onto its shelf, it was already getting dark…

His stomach rumbled, but his mind refused to stop turning.

After a few more hours, Rayven could only accept that the book he was looking for wasn't here.

Which meant tomorrow, he probably had to check the second level and pay the 10 silver coins.

It was probably the reason why the system gave him five days.

'It's not as easy as I thought…' He mused.

***

Early in the morning on the next day, Rayven decided to visit the Great Library and pay the ten Silver coins.

The woman recalled the customer in front of her and gave him a pass.

"Keep it with you at all times. It will keep you safe." The woman said, which confused Rayven for a bit.

He realized that the payment he made wasn't just for their profit.

'They probably have some sort of protection being used here… No wonder I have to pay them that much…' Rayven thought.

Then, just like before, Rayven used his Spell to detect any form of mana within the room…

"This…"

As expected, he found several sources of mana.