In the end, Kai ended up staying at Pete City's Lord's Mansion for three days. He had little choice—the Baron of Pete was simply too enthusiastic. That evening, the portly noble, decked out in glittering jewels, arrived at Kai's inn with a full retinue, insisting on dragging Kai to a feast at the mansion.
The baron's frame was easily three times that of Kent, his vice-captain of the guard. Yet the baron was an ordinary man; his vice-captain, by contrast, was a mid-level knight squire. The vice-captain wasn't even Pete City's strongest fighter, though. As the baron proudly explained, that title belonged to his captain of the guard, Williams—who had led a cavalry unit out to wipe out bandits half a month earlier. Williams, a high-level knight squire, stood as Pete City's peak combat force.
It seemed that in the Underdark's surface regions, for a city of over 100,000 people like Pete City, a high-level knight squire was considered the absolute pinnacle of strength.
Baron Pete was warm and gregarious—and his size and jovial demeanor reminded Kai of his old friend Bows. After three days of feasting for free at the mansion, Kai gave the baron a Nutrition Potion as thanks before leaving.
"A tiny potion like this… can keep you from eating for two or three days?" The baron gaped at the vial in his hand.
"Well… under normal circumstances, it works for three days. But given your size and appetite, one day should be manageable," Kai nodded.
His answer only deepened the baron's look of disbelief. For all his nobility, the baron knew next to nothing about magic. He'd never even dabbled in battle qi, thanks to his build and love of comfort; he'd inherited the city purely because he was an only child.
Even Frank, the gray-robed mid-level apprentice, looked shocked when he saw Kai pull the potion from his pocket.
"Lord Kai—are you also an alchemist?" Frank couldn't help but ask. It was the first time he'd addressed Kai with such deference, despite being decades older.
Kai shook his head. "I'm not an alchemist. This is just a simple potion I learned from a senior apprentice sister, later improved with help from an alchemist apprentice friend."
The hints in Kai's words only made Frank more curious—and wary—about Kai's origins and background.
True to Frank's word, the small trade fair outside Pete City was held ahead of schedule. Baron Pete even sent a squad of over twenty men to escort Kai and Frank there in a carriage.
The fair, organized by magic apprentices, took place in a small town on the border between Pete City and two neighboring cities. It wasn't held within any city limits because the human settlements in central Underdark weren't always on friendly terms—skirmishes and even small wars sometimes broke out between them. While inter-city tensions rarely affected apprentices' personal dealings, certain precautions still had to be taken.
The town had a small population, and when Kai's group arrived at dawn, the entire place was shrouded in a hazy gray mist. A spacious open-air square served as the fairground.
The number of apprentices present was small—Kai counted only seven, including himself and Frank. This confirmed that magic apprentices were scarce in the area around Pete City; it was also possible Frank had omitted inviting those with too little skill. Most attendees were mid-level apprentices, though one figure in a gray hood exuded the same senior apprentice aura as Kai.
"Nightcrow and Suma aren't coming, and Yolud will be late. Should we start without them?" asked the only other senior apprentice present. Though he addressed the group, Kai noticed most of his gaze lingered on Kai.
Magic apprentices often used aliases instead of real names—"Nightcrow," for instance, was clearly a nickname. Kai had no intention of revealing his true name either; he wore the worn, pale mask he'd kept since before.
(Note: Modesto had repaired Kai's high-level magical items like the Earth Element Shield Ring, but hadn't bothered fixing this low-level trinket.)
Even with the mask hiding his face, Kai suspected Frank had already spilled details about him. But he wasn't worried—the gray-hooded senior apprentice didn't seem skilled in combat, and Kai felt no real threat from him. As for the other mid-level apprentices… if Kai hadn't deliberately toned down his aura, he would have felt like a lion wandering into a zoo full of docile creatures.
The Underdark's harsh survival conditions made the surface seem gentle by comparison. These mid- and senior apprentices might have fought battles or faced magical beasts, but their aura and demeanor were leagues below Kai's. He was certain he could take them all by surprise—with his Acid Staff and other magical items—without even needing Qi's help.
"Hehe, let's start soon! I haven't seen a new face in years. Is this young gentleman new to the area?" A mid-level female apprentice spoke up first, her voice light. Like Kai, she wore a mask—but hers only covered the upper half of her face, leaving a bright red mouth exposed.
The woman was likely a decade or two older than Kai, yet she called him "young gentleman"—a clear sign of her admiration (and wariness) of his senior apprentice status and mysterious background.
Her suggestion was met with nods from the others. Even Frank chimed in, "Let's get started. Whether Yolud makes it or not is up to his luck."
Before arriving, Frank had briefed Kai on the fair's 流and details. There were no proper magic organizations near Pete City—at least, none with formal mages, as far as Frank knew. Scarcity of resources and limited access to knowledge meant apprentices in the region often held such fairs to trade what they needed. Bartering was the most common practice; gold coins were rarely used. Energy crystals or magical beast cores hadn't been used as currency here in years—apprentices hoarded them for their own cultivation, after all.
Kai, new to such events, had only nodded at Frank's explanation, offering no opinions. He planned to hold back at first, observing the trades before making any moves himself.
Sure enough, the first item an apprentice pulled out immediately caught Kai's eye: a bright red fruit. Kai didn't recognize it, but guessed it was some kind of low-level magical ingredient. The surface's ecosystem and resource outputs were truly different from the Underdark's. He realized he'd need to learn a great deal more to expand his knowledge and experience in the days ahead.
The red fruit, called a "Bloodfire Berry," was a low-level material found only in deep forests. It held little value for mages, but was highly sought after by enchanted creatures and magical beasts. Every year, knight squires in the Underdark ventured into forests in groups to hunt for these berries—they were said to strengthen vitality, and eating them raw could speed up low-level squires' training.
In the end, Frank bought the Bloodfire Berry, paying with two vials of his own Blood-Activating Potion. Strictly speaking, the Blood-Activating Potion wasn't a magical potion at all—it was even weaker than a low-level Healing Potion, useful only for reducing swelling and promoting blood circulation in injuries. To Kai's surprise, Frank had developed the potion himself, collaborating with ordinary apothecaries in Pete City. It was clear the old man dreamed of becoming an alchemist—explaining his excitement when Kai had 拿出 (pulled out) the Nutrition Potion earlier.
After Frank's trade, the fair proceeded smoothly. The apprentices were old acquaintances, on good terms with one another, so haggling was rare. Several more items were put up for trade, mostly low-level magical materials of various types—each expanding Kai's understanding of surface resources.
The female apprentice with the half-mask and red lips, for example, pulled out a strange object called a "Scream Branch." When activated in a specific way, it served as an early warning device: if planted outside a tent at night, its leaves would shake violently and emit a shrill noise if any creature approached within twenty meters.
The Scream Branch went unsold—most apprentices lived in nearby cities and had no use for it. Kai was interested, but held off; the fair wasn't over yet.
Kai's patience, however, was wearing thin on the others. The fair had been moved up specifically because of the new outsider—Kai—and his mysterious senior apprentice status had led many to hope he'd bring valuable items to trade. His silence was making them anxious.
"Does this senior apprentice look down on our trivial goods?" more than one apprentice wondered.
Finally, the gray-hooded senior apprentice let out a laugh. "It seems our new friend isn't impressed by these ordinary magical materials. Can't blame him—our region has never produced anything special. That said, I've heard there are magical crystal mines to the east, and the western magical beast forests are rich in resources. Go far enough south, and you'll reach the Endless Southern Sea of the Wizarding World—coastal areas are filled with magic organizations, even multiple Holy Towers."
This senior apprentice was younger than Frank and seemed to have seen more of the world. His words prompted Kai—who had stayed quiet until now—to speak up. "What about the north? What's there?"
Kai's family was north of the Underdark, and from what Modesto had once implied, that region lay beyond the Underdark's borders entirely.
His question left the gray-hooded apprentice tongue-tied—he knew little about the north. "From what I've heard, the north is better off than here. At the very least, there are several magic organizations there, with formal mages leading them." He paused, then added, "Are you planning to head north, friend?"
This time, Kai didn't hesitate—he simply nodded slowly.
The gray-hooded apprentice sighed softly. "I'm planning to go south. Staying here will only trap me forever, never letting me reach higher levels. The south is the best place for mages like us—if we're lucky enough to join a Holy Tower, that is." His voice was filled with longing.
The decision to head south to the Endless Southern Sea coast seemed to be news to the other apprentices. More than one looked excited and curious; even the female apprentice who'd called Kai "young gentleman" crowded around to ask questions. It was clear they might band together to travel south and seek training there.
Frank, however, remained unperturbed beside Kai. Though his eyes showed envy and yearning, the old man didn't join the conversation—instead, he stared down at the Bloodfire Berry in his hands, turning it over gently.
"Aren't you tempted to see the south?" Kai asked. He'd grown somewhat familiar with Frank over the past few days.
"Hehe, if I were twenty years younger, I'd go in a heartbeat," Frank shook his head. "But now… it's too late. Who knows how much longer this old body will hold out? Instead of gambling on the south, I'd rather stay here and do what I can for my family. My little Pia doesn't have the talent to be a mage, but he's got real potential as a knight." He smiled, 摩挲 ing the Bloodfire Berry.
Traveling to the Endless Southern Sea wouldn't be easy. Even with Qi's help and his own speed, Kai estimated it would take at least half a year to reach the north beyond the Underdark. The distance to the southern coast was no shorter—and "Endless Southern Sea coast" was just a general term. The Wizarding World was far larger than these apprentices imagined.
What was the south really like? How many magic organizations existed there? How would they obtain resources or learn new knowledge? These were all questions that needed answers. Knowledge was priceless—but who could guarantee they'd be accepted into an organization, or afford the costs of learning?
The journey south would be fraught with danger, too. Beyond magical beasts and bandits, rumors of dark mages haunting the area had circulated for years. A single misstep—crossing paths with a ruthless dark mage—could cost them their lives. Even ordinary bandits might include mid-level, or even high-level, knight squires among their ranks. Such foes would be tough for these apprentices to handle, especially if they closed in for close combat—swords could be faster than magic.
"The reason I decided to go south is that I was lucky enough to meet a formal mage passing through Hopes City," the gray-hooded apprentice continued. "He was from the Southern Sea coast and told me all about its prosperity. I helped him a great deal, and though he didn't take me as his apprentice, he gave me this coin—it's a common currency among mages. The journey south is long and uncertain, so I need to be fully prepared. That's why I'm trading this coin today—I hope to get something useful for the trip." His gaze settled mostly on Kai.
Kai was immediately drawn to the coin the apprentice pulled out. Larger than ordinary gold or silver coins—five centimeters in diameter—it was made of pure gold, etched with strange, mystical patterns. For some reason, seeing it stirred a faint, peculiar sensation in Kai—a sixth sense he'd developed after two years of hardship in the Yellow Sand World. The coin seemed to carry the very aura of the Wizarding World itself.
What surprised Kai even more was that he'd seen a pile of identical coins—hundreds of them—in the spatial bracelet Modesto had left him. He'd once thought they were currency used in the Dark Domain of the Western Islands, but now he realized he'd been wrong.
"Is that a Magic Coin?" one of the mid-level apprentices asked, recognizing it.
Living on the surface had given these mid-level apprentices access to more common knowledge than Kai—but even they had only heard of Magic Coins, never seen one in person.
The gray-hooded apprentice nodded. "According to the formal mage, this one coin was more than enough to repay my help—maybe even more. But a Magic Coin is just currency; it doesn't have the practical use of energy crystals. That's why I want to trade it here."
His words sparked a flurry of offers from the other apprentices—but none of the mid-level apprentices' items caught the gray-hooded apprentice's eye. His focus remained fixed on Kai.
And finally, Kai made his move.
"What about a Low-Level Healing Potion?" he asked, pulling a slender crimson vial from his pocket.
In the end, Kai traded two Low-Level Healing Potions and three Nutrition Potions for the Magic Coin. Without knowing the exact value of goods among formal mages, he couldn't fully assess the coin's worth—but he was certain he'd gotten a good deal.
Low-Level Healing Potions were practically useless to him now; they only worked on minor flesh wounds. Ever since he'd received Modesto's staff, inscribed with a Regeneration spell, Kai had dismissed such low-tier potions. To say nothing of the Holy Light Badge Midichi had given him—the Light Restoration spell inside was even more powerful than Regeneration.
As for the Nutrition Potions? They were barely above ordinary tools, not even qualifying as true alchemical products—similar to Frank's homemade Blood-Activating Potion. Parting with them cost Kai nothing.
The gray-hooded senior apprentice, by contrast, was thrilled with the trade. With these potions in hand, his journey south felt far more secure.
After acquiring the Magic Coin, Kai grew more active in the latter half of the fair. He traded a Low-Level Energy Crystal for Frank's Voice Transmission spell, and snapped up various strange magical materials he'd never seen before—including the unsold Scream Branch.
His generosity left Frank and the others stunned. Still, Kai didn't overdo it. Realizing how resource-poor the region was, he didn't even take out Mid-Level Energy Crystals—only using a dozen or so Low-Level ones, a sum fitting for a senior apprentice.
"If I'd known, I would've brought more stuff!" the masked female apprentice exclaimed, suddenly stepping close to Kai. "How about this—I'll spend the night with you, and you just pay one Low-Level Energy Crystal. Deal?"
Though the woman was likely middle-aged, her mask hid most of her face, leaving Kai unable to judge her appearance. She wore a perfume favored by nobles, and as she leaned in, the strong scent washed over him—stirring an unexpected reaction.
It had been years since Kai had been with a woman. His two years in the Yellow Sand World had been like a hermit's existence. At just over twenty, he was in the prime of his youth—so it was no surprise the female apprentice's bold offer had flustered him.
Before Kai could respond, another mid-level apprentice spoke up, his tone bitter. "Mary, am I not enough for you? It's just one Low-Level Energy Crystal—I have one too. How about—"
He didn't get to finish. The female apprentice snapped back, her voice sharp. "Jork, shut up! I'm only your girlfriend for now, not your wife. Who do you think you are, telling me what to do?"
Her shout drew everyone's attention. So she was a tigress, Kai thought. The male apprentice's face turned crimson with embarrassment.
"Oh? Your name is Jork?" Kai asked, looking at the flustered mid-level apprentice.
"So what if it is?" Jork snapped. Still smarting from Mary's rejection, he'd lost all interest in currying favor with a senior apprentice.
"Nothing," Kai replied calmly. "I just had a friend once… his name was Jork too."