Published: March 11, 2025
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN: Mage Guild
The three of them slowly walked towards the city, and sure enough, the soldiers at the city gate not only did not stop them but also bowed to them. This made Zhao Hai understand that in this world, as long as you have strength, you are a master.
As they entered the city gate, Zhao Hai was momentarily stunned by the sight before him. It was a wide road, nearly ten meters across, bustling with pedestrians. People were coming and going, creating a lively atmosphere. On the roadside, some small vendors were setting up stalls. Clearly, there were no city management officers here, as everyone was vocally promoting their goods, and passersby often stopped to buy things, adding to the vibrant scene.
The shops lined both sides of the street, with the small stalls set up right in front of them, which made the entrances of the shops apparent and contributed to the bustling atmosphere.
The pedestrians were quite diverse; most were ordinary people dressed in simple linen clothes, with a few wearing leather helmets or warrior outfits. There were almost no magic robes seen walking on the street.
Just then, a voice called out, “Respected Mage, do you need a carriage? My carriage is comfortable and cheap, and I've grown up in Casa City, so I know every street here very well. I can take you anywhere you wish to go.”
Zhao Hai and the others looked towards the voice and saw a carriage driver standing about five steps away on their left, bowing slightly. Behind him was a large horse-drawn carriage.
This carriage was quite sizable, pulled by a tall red horse, and its body was painted black with beautiful patterns adorning it.
Zhao Hai didn't recognize the horse, but Galen did. Although the horse looked good, it was just an ordinary rank one magical beast, which didn't quite match Zhao Hai's status.
However, even if it was mismatched, there was no alternative. They had just arrived in Casa City, in unfamiliar territory, and didn’t have much money on hand. Naturally, they couldn’t afford to buy a carriage. Moreover, it was impossible to freely use magic or summon beasts in the city, so they couldn't call out anything unusual. The only option left was to hire a carriage.
Galen approached the carriage driver and asked, “What’s your name? How much does it cost to hire your carriage for a day?”
The carriage driver hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. He had called out to Zhao Hai and the others just to test the waters, knowing that mages generally don’t lack money and rarely hire ordinary carriages. To his surprise, the other party asked him for a price.
The driver quickly replied, “Respected Mage, my carriage is very cheap; it only costs one silver coin for a day. My name is Rock.”
Galen tossed a silver coin to Rock and said, “Hire your carriage for a day.” He then turned to Zhao Hai and added, “Sir, please get in.”
Zhao Hai nodded and got into the carriage alongside Meg. The carriage was quite spacious, enough to accommodate about six people.
However, Galen did not get in; instead, he sat beside the driver and said to Rock, “Take us to the Mage Guild.”
This Mage Guild was not a private organization but a state institution. Every country has its own independent Mage Guild, which is specifically set up to serve mages.
The Mage Guild exists to serve mages, not to manage them. After all, the first mages were treasures of the country, holding a status equivalent to that of nobles. Therefore, no one dared to manage them but could only provide the necessary services.
Every mage registered with the Mage Guild receives a subsidy of ten gold coins per month. However, very few mages would care for this amount, so generally, few would go to claim it.
Moreover, mages registered with the Mage Guild enjoy various benefits. For example, possessing a mage badge exempts you from taxes, and with this badge, you can meet nobles without bowing.
The purpose of Galen and the others coming to Casa City was twofold: to make their presence known and attract attention, and to register Zhao Hai with the Mage Guild.