Published: March 11, 2025
Chapter 78: Unusual Performance
Behind the mage guild building, there was a large open space paved with bluestone slabs. The space was about one hundred meters long and wide, and at intervals of ten meters between fifty and one hundred meters, there were several targets used for testing magic.
All mages registering at the mage guild had to go through this procedure, casting a spell here to prove they were mages, while also allowing the guild staff to assess their level.
After a few people arrived at the edge of the area, Karl turned to Zhao Hai and said, "Honorable mage, please use a spell; any spell will do. If you wish to obtain a higher-level mage badge, please use some advanced magic." After speaking, Karl stepped aside and quietly watched Zhao Hai.
No one knew that although Karl couldn’t cast spells, his long exposure to mages had given him a certain understanding of magic, and he was very sensitive to the magic force. As long as the mage used magic, he could determine the mage's level; he was correct eight times out of ten in his judgments.
Karl's ability to judge stemmed from his decades of work at the mage guild. Over the years, he had gradually summed up his own method of assessing a mage's level. The mage's control over their magic, the time taken to cast spells, and the fluency of their incantations all reflected a mage's level from different perspectives.
Many mages, although they had high levels, did not possess combat abilities that matched their levels. These mages often lacked experience in battles, which could be judged from their spell-casting speed and control.
It was this exceptional judgment ability that allowed Karl to rise to the position of head of the Versailles Principality's mage guild. In powerful nations like the Aksu Empire, the heads of mage guilds were generally high-level mages.
When Zhao Hai entered Casa City, Karl had already received the news. Upon learning that Zhao Hai was coming to register at the mage guild, Karl immediately decided to personally receive him; he wanted to see what level Zhao Hai really was.
It was undeniable that people on the continent had an instinctive aversion and vigilance towards dark mages, and the Versailles Family was no exception.
However, information obtained from the Magedel Family proved that Zhao Hai's combat strength was quite formidable, which made the Versailles Family pay even more attention. After all, a mage, regardless of their type, would be highly valued by a family as long as their level was high and their abilities strong. A high-level mage was akin to a nuclear weapon; even if it wasn’t always used, its primary purpose was to deter enemies.
If other well-known mages from the continent came to the Versailles Principality, the Versailles Family would certainly welcome them warmly. Even if they couldn’t recruit the mage into their family, they would still try to maintain a friendly relationship.
However, the Versailles Family adopted a very steady attitude toward Zhao Hai. They did not seek to approach him actively, nor would they offend him. Even if Zhao Hai was very powerful, they wouldn’t engage with him without understanding his background.
Large families have a principle in employing people: they prioritize loyalty over ability. There are plenty of talented individuals in the world, but loyal ones are rare. No matter how strong your abilities, if you are prone to betrayal, no one would dare to trust you. The Versailles Family was like this; even if you were an eighth-level mage, if you lacked loyalty, they wouldn’t employ you. They would prefer to hire two loyal seventh-level mages over one disloyal eighth-level mage.
Zhao Hai's identity remained a mystery, as no one had been able to uncover his background. He seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, causing the Versailles Family to hesitate in their attempts to recruit him.
The Versailles Family was currently developing well and remained stable. Although Zhao Hai's strength could bring new opportunities for their family, his mysterious background was a cause for concern. The Versailles Family appreciated Zhao Hai's strength, but they feared he could become an unstable factor within their family.