The Shepherd Alone on the Hill is a Genius Wizard

Early in the morning, Turan left Murei city and headed northeast.

According to Midan, the distance between the two cities was about a week's walk for ordinary people.

At his pace, he could narrow it down to two or three days.

About half a day after leaving the city, he could clearly feel the natural environment becoming increasingly abundant.

Forests grew along both sides of the road that had naturally formed from people's passage, and occasionally when plains stretched out, yellow wheat fields could be seen in the distance.

And naturally, where there was abundance there were more animals, and where there were more animals, there were more masu.

While walking the road, Turan periodically used search magic to check for masu in the surroundings, hunt them, and return to the road.

Most were too weak to be worth catching anymore, but there were one or two useful ones mixed in, making it somewhat worthwhile.

Perhaps because it was a road to a major city, he could see passing people relatively frequently here.

Farmers going to sell wheat to nearby villages, traveling merchants, armed people who might be mercenaries or masu hunters.

Some of them would glance at the lone Turan with gleaming eyes, but seeing him cover three or four normal people's steps with each stride, they would fearfully lower their eyes.

From the third afternoon, he could see a solid stone highway rather than dirt road.

Though he didn't know who maintained it, it was very well-maintained with only slightly damaged parts, making it comfortable to walk on—when he tried to lightly break the edge with magic out of curiosity, it wouldn't break easily, suggesting some magical power was imbued in it.

And finally, on the fourth day.

Though it took a bit longer because he frequently strayed to catch masu, Turan arrived at his target, Orem city.

"Come on! Line up to enter! Hey! No cutting in line!"

Orem was a metropolis that made his previous location Murei look like a village.

They said its population alone reached tens of thousands?

The outskirts were lined with shabby huts where poor people seemed to live, while inside was a stone wall about five meters high creating a boundary.

At the city gate, people armed in metal armor watched those coming and going, and judging by the many portraits placed beside them, they seemed to be checking if there were any wanted persons among those entering and leaving.

As Turan tried to enter through the gate, one of them suddenly blocked his way.

"Hey, your clothes are too dirty. At least dust off before entering inside the walls."

It wasn't an unreasonable complaint—Turan's clothes were notably dirtier compared to those around him.

The clothes he was wearing were what he had worn since his shepherd days so they were quite worn, and he hadn't properly washed them during the past four days of sleeping outdoors.

Moreover, having lived on water-scarce Hisaril Hill, Turan considered laundry something to be done once a month.

Murei city was also next to wasteland so everyone was similarly dirty.

In contrast, the people of this city were all neat and clean, making Turan's appearance stand out more.

"Understood."

After dusting off his clothes outside the gate, he wasn't stopped when entering again.

Fortunately, this time he didn't need to buy things he wouldn't use just to ask about the library's location.

According to Midan, the library was the tallest building in this city.

Among buildings that were mostly two to three stories tall, one tower stood prominently, seeming to reach over thirty floors.

'Probably built with magic?'

An imposing presence that hardly seemed possible to build with human power.

Seeing it up close, it looked almost grotesque due to its impossibly tall height.

It seemed like you could look down even on clouds if you went up there.

After staring in awe for a while, Turan came to his senses and spoke to the guard at the entrance.

"I heard wizards can enter here, is that correct?"

At Turan's question, the guard's face hardened.

He had been thinking of chasing away this beggar-like person, but what was this sudden statement?

Though inwardly thinking this was just a madman spouting nonsense, doubt arose in his mind.

Therefore, the guard decided to confirm the other's identity in a way only wizards could.

'Hm?'

Turan's eyes widened at the flow of mana emanating from the guard's body.

Magic manipulated to cause no phenomenon itself, purely to prove one's power...

Was this what they said wizards created to determine hierarchy without fighting by sensing each other's mana?

Though he had practiced it a few times with Keorn after learning it, this was his first time receiving it from someone else.

Well, this was his first time meeting another wizard after all.

Turan likewise drew up pure mana and projected it toward the other.

"Huk..."

The guard who received it made a gasping sound.

His mana was about half of Keorn's by feeling, not even one-twentieth compared to current Turan, so he had no way to withstand it.

Well, it would be ridiculous to station someone exceptionally skilled in such a place anyway.

Realizing the gap, the guard bowed his head and said:

"I-I am Kesha, knight of House Baltas. Noble one, might I know which house you come from?"

"Do I need to say to enter?"

"No, I apologize!"

Seeming to interpret it as "how dare someone like you ask such a thing," the knight bowed his head even deeper than before.

Turan was already starting to tire of conversation with him.

"No, I'm genuinely asking."

After a moment of silence, the knight, having finally realized Turan was serious, spoke in a timid manner.

Use of the library was only permitted for those approved by the lord of this place, meaning the head of House Baltas.

This was quite different from what he had heard from Midan.

"I heard wizards could use it."

"That... as far as I know, no commoner has ever been permitted to use the library."

Perhaps the story had been distorted because everyone who entered and left was a wizard, making it seem like wizards could enter?

Turan scratched his chin for a moment before sighing.

"How do I get permission from Baltas's master to use the library?"

"Such matters of the high ones are beyond the likes of me to know. If the noble one permits, I will contact the house to inquire."

"Please do."

After saying this, Turan leaned against the wall opposite the library's main gate.

Having revealed his identity like this, he would soon have to receive House Baltas's "hospitality."

When a noble enters another noble's territory, it was proper to treat them as guests and be treated as such...

'Maybe I should have just snuck in.'

Though he could have infiltrated using the Zahar bloodline's concealment ability, he hadn't dared try recklessly thinking there might be security systems to neutralize it inside.

If he had tried that, he couldn't complain even if they mistook him for an assassin.

Especially since the Zahar bloodline ability was one of the most specialized for assassination.

Shortly after, a huge carriage pulled by four horses galloped down the main road and stopped in front of the library.

The middle-aged man acting as coachman saw Turan and immediately bowed deeply.

"Welcome to Orem, city of wisdom, noble one. I am Reden, butler of House Baltas. Our master wishes to receive you as a guest—might you spare some time?"

"Very well."

"Please do not elevate me, noble one."

At Turan's honorific, the butler named Reden—though Turan didn't really understand what a butler was—spoke with such a servile attitude that he seemed ready to crawl on the ground.

Inwardly sighing at this uncomfortable response, Turan nodded.

"Fine."

"I shall guide you."

Though he had seen carriages a few times in Murei, this was his first time riding in one.

During the journey, Turan gathered his thoughts and prepared for any situation.

Though unlikely, if this house suddenly attacked, he would need to immediately conceal himself and escape.

After about ten minutes, the carriage stopped and a voice was heard from outside.

[We have arrived.]

Opening the door and stepping out, a castle built of pure white stone greeted Turan.

About five or six stories high, its overall appearance seemed to prioritize aesthetics over defense.

The butler, who had dismounted from the coachman's seat, said to him:

"Before meeting the head of house, might we help you prepare your appearance?"

Though he didn't understand exactly what preparing appearance meant, he nodded since it was presumably necessary for the meeting.

Following the butler's guidance through the main gate, three maids approached him.

"We will guide you to the bath, noble one."

It was a welcome offer, as he had been feeling dirty himself since arriving here.

The problem was that the maids followed him into the bathroom.

"We will assist with your bath."

Bath assistance? Surely they didn't mean to wash him like a child?

Though he had lived with only his mother, he knew enough proper etiquette between men and women, so Turan frowned and shook his head.

"I'll wash mys—I'll wash alone. Everyone out."

But hearing this, the maids' faces turned pale, and they prostrated themselves begging, "We're sorry, please forgive us."

The youngest maid even started crying loudly.

At this bewildering response, Turan pointed to the oldest maid and asked:

"Is there a problem if I wash alone?"

"Yes. We are punished if we fail to properly serve noble ones. Please have mercy..."

Though he knew the class difference between wizards and commoners was large, he hadn't expected it to be this extreme.

Feeling the overwhelming fatigue, Turan exhaled deeply and nodded.

"Do as you will."

Shortly after, the maids undressed Turan and washed his body with warm water and soap.

He didn't need to do anything himself during this.

As if skilled at this work, they thoroughly cleaned his entire body without even asking him to move his arms or legs.

Though it was incredibly awkward having women see him naked, leaving body washing to others, and showing his dirty washwater—aside from that, bath assistance was certainly worth receiving.

After finishing the bath, combing out his tangled long hair, changing clothes and completing grooming, the maids' eyes widened.

The youngest maid around Turan's age who had been crying earlier even exclaimed with reddened cheeks.

"Wow..."

"What?"

When he turned to ask, she startled and quickly covered her mouth with a "hap."

The oldest maid explained instead:

"She seems to have been momentarily stunned by your beauty, noble one. Please forgive her."

Saying this, she brought over a large mirror to show him, and seeing it, he could understand their reaction.

The first thing that caught his eye was his gray hair that he usually just tied back in a ponytail because cutting it was bothersome.

The maids had combed it well then applied some unknown oil, making it shine like well-polished steel and perfectly harmonizing with his ash-colored eyes.

When his skin, which had been dark from not washing well, became clean, his sharp features stood out, and the white clothes embroidered with gold thread made his large, sleek physique look even more elegant.

If before washing he had been a fairly handsome beggar, now he truly looked like a noble youth who had lived his whole life being served.

Shortly after, having completed all grooming, Turan followed the butler's guidance toward the banquet hall where the head of house was waiting.

Since everyone they met on the way bowed deeply as if they knew him, Turan asked the butler walking ahead:

"Do they all know my status?"

"It's because of the clothes you're wearing. In this castle, clothing with gold is a color permitted only to noble ones."

Just as he heard those words, a lady wearing a blue-gray dress embroidered with gold thread appeared from one side of the corridor.

Seeing Turan, she tilted her head and asked:

"Is this the guest who came looking like a beggar? What's this, after cleaning and dressing him up he's nothing short of a prince?"

"Ah, young lady. The word beggar..."

"What does it matter? I'm Izella. Izella Baltas. And you?"

Judging by the butler's titles and attitude, she was probably a noble of House Baltas.

The arrogance seeping from her every action and word made him think so this is what a real noble was like.

Not wanting to be instinctively dominated, Turan declared proudly without bowing:

"I'm Turan."

"Just Turan? What about your house?"

"I cannot reveal it due to circumstances. There are hostile houses."

This was an excuse Turan had prepared in advance after discussing with Keorn.

Pretending to be a noble who hid his identity due to hostile houses while on pilgrimage to grow his mana.

It was awkward to claim House Zahar since they didn't even know of his existence, but simply hiding everything would raise suspicion of being a criminal on the run.

No sooner had he finished speaking than mana surged from Izella's body, just like the library guard earlier had done.

As if trying to determine whether he was a fraud or not.

When Turan likewise released his power in response, their mana collided and sparks flew.

"Eek!"

While the maids screamed and backed away, Turan analyzed the recent collision and felt shocked anew.

Because Izella's mana was nearly equal to his level.

Actually, it wasn't so surprising.

Regardless of Turan's excellent potential, he was still a beginner who had only started gathering mana less than a month ago.

But because all the wizards he had met so far were much weaker than him, encountering an opponent of similar caliber like this felt particularly shocking.

It was like the feeling of meeting a giant of the same height after living among dwarves all your life.

But looking closely, Izella opposite him also seemed shocked after sensing his power.

"Wow..."

After letting out an exclamation and faltering, Izella suddenly blurted out something shocking.

"Hey guest, want to get married?"