I materialized a sci-fi fortress in a magical world.

Next, Roy asked Austin how to obtain a spot at the "Night Banquet".

However, Austin didn't know much about this either and could only provide limited information:

"Although the Night Banquet is located within the territory of the Duchy and theoretically belongs to the Grand Duke, he cannot monopolize all the spots. He has to distribute them to various schools of thought and noble families. Therefore, people like my mentor and I, who are not of high standing, dare not even think about it."

After saying that, he shrugged and sighed:

"Sigh~ Even a high-ranking figure like the Grand Duke has his compromises and helplessness..."

Seeing how precious this opportunity was, Luo Yue was even less inclined to go. He had a secret to hide and was not suited for such a high-profile occasion.

Moreover, according to the rumors Austin heard, apart from the unique [Fountain of Magic], the other benefits didn't seem to be that valuable.

The "Source of Magic" isn't something you can simply obtain by going there. It's said that a marquis spent a huge sum to secure a spot for his eldest son, placing high hopes on him, only to end up with nothing...

The son committed suicide to atone for his sins under pressure from the family, which triggered a brutal struggle for succession within the family and ultimately led to the decline of the entire family...

As for the bloodshed and love-hate relationships that erupted around the quota, there are even more stories, which Austen could never finish telling.

So Luo Yue stopped fantasizing and decided to talk to her senior about it and tell her not to worry about it.

After a few more casual words, Austin went to get busy, while Roy returned to his workshop and saw another note on the floor, with a half-cut scroll pressed on top of it.

He picked it up and looked at it, his tone still as humble as before, hoping that Luo Yue could point out his shortcomings.

"They're not going to just stick to me like this, are they?"

Luo Yue frowned, then looked at the half-carved scroll, his frown deepening.

There are so many things to complain about, I don't even know where to begin...

Although it may still take shape, the quality will definitely not be high. By his standards, it would only be fit to be thrown in the trash.

He simply ignored it, leaving it aside until he was in a better mood.

And so, Luo Yue resumed his mundane daily work and spiritual practice, taking a moment in between to divine what his senior was doing.

[Remember the fastest online novel website: 202ᴋᴋs.ᴄᴏᴍ]

The conclusion is mission, distance, and longing. He must have gone on a business trip. No wonder he didn't come home last night, but he was still thinking about me.

"They just met and then parted again; now they're truly star-crossed lovers."

Luo Yue felt a pang of regret. He then consulted the oracle about his two senior classmates and Lar, and the results were all positive: fulfilling, tiring, and busy.

He had one last divination session left that day. He thought for a moment, then looked up at the room next door…

Will the stranger next door cause me trouble? Will the stranger next door cause me trouble? Will the stranger next door cause me trouble?

Luo Yue muttered to himself as he tossed out the small wooden stick.

The result was unexpected; it actually failed?

"Hiss~ She's been interfered with? She also has anti-divination measures on her? Although it's not as strong as Uncle Hugo's, in this rural area where occultism is underdeveloped, someone who knows about anti-divination is already quite special, isn't she?"

Luo Yue shook his head and didn't pursue the matter any further.

He always remembered the first rule of occultism taught by his beautiful female teacher:

"Curiosity is the most important nutrient, but also the most deadly poison."

........................

By evening, most of the apprentices in the mage tower had left, and the place gradually cooled down.

Many apprentices were exploited like cattle and horses, unable to live in the tower and forced to return to farms and wineries outside.

Royo called over a few servants and apprentices who remained behind, and with mops, buckets, and brooms in hand, used the small wooden plaque given to him by Austin to open the long-sealed magic practice area.

He told Austin today that he wanted to borrow this place, and Austin readily agreed, only reminding him to have someone clean it first, since it hadn't been used for over two years...

Austin also frankly admitted that although he still had a yearning for magic, following Hugo, who was becoming more and more like a noble merchant, he simply didn't have much energy left to cultivate...

You can, but not without.

Although this practice room is not large, it is almost the most upscale facility in Maple Leaf City.

The three humanoid targets were all crafted by masters within the school, possessing extremely high magic resistance while also being able to assess key indicators such as spell power, damage radius, and casting time in real time.

The surrounding walls are also made of materials that can block mental detection, and they also have a strong soundproofing effect.

Even in the already small space, a lounge was carved out, equipped with a sofa, recliner, phonograph, wine cabinet, and a small magic circle to help restore magic power.

Based on the market situation that Luo Yue had learned about during this period, this one practice room alone was enough to buy hundreds of Old Drunkard Mage Towers.

"It's so good to be rich. If you can avoid hardship, you really won't endure even the slightest hardship..."

Luo Yue sighed inwardly as he continued to flip through the booklet in his hand, which contained precautions and operating instructions for this place.

Soon, the apprentices and servants had cleaned the practice room spotless. Luo Yue took out a few silver coins and treated everyone to drinks. After everyone left, he locked the door and began to unleash his newly learned [Fireball] technique.

This was his first time casting this classic spell, and for the sake of ritual, he improvised an incantation:

"Gurgle, gurgle!"

The magic circle that appeared in his hand then transformed into a ball of flame that flew out and hit the target, scattering sparks.

A crystal ball beside him lit up, displaying lines of data.

"Spell: [Fireball], Power 3, Damage Radius 2 meters, Casting Time 18 seconds, Spell Travel Time 1.8 seconds, Critical Hit Rate 71%..."

As Luo Yue read out the list, he couldn't help but sigh:

"sharp!"

This isn't self-praise, but rather an expression of admiration for Hugo's wealth...

He picked up the booklet again and looked up what exactly "Power 3" meant.

The conclusion is that it can instantly kill an unprotected, robust adult male, and is powerful enough to shake the mana shield cast by a level 3 mage, or a protective measure of the same level.

The "Mana Shield" is the semi-transparent barrier that the "street mage" used to block crossbow bolts and magic. Although it is the most basic protective measure for mages, it has the potential to become more effective as the rank increases.

However, it's uncertain how many shots are needed to penetrate or shatter the shield. A special function called "Simulated Shield" needs to be activated to provide further data.

This special function requires the additional investment of 'fluorite,' a rare mineral containing magical power, to activate.

How could Luo Yue possibly afford it? Never mind...

But he still remembered the fireball spell cast by that second-tier "street mage," whose casting time was much faster than his own, taking only three seconds to cast one.

However, its power was rather ordinary; even a direct hit to the enemy's back wasn't enough to kill them instantly...

"Both are at the second tier, but my fireball seems to be slightly more powerful than his?"