Chapter 96: Is this the first spell you learned?

"Welcome to Duncan's Tailor Shop. What can I do for you? Ah... you... I remember you."

As soon as Jess entered the tailor shop and before he could adapt to the indoor darkness from the bright sunlight, he heard the shop owner's loud shout.

The shop owner was looking this way and said, "You are the assistant who wanted to buy that robe from me last time, right? How is it? Has your boss decided?"

"My boss has ordered a piece of clothing from Dalaran. It is expected to arrive before next month's Winter Veil. I'm sorry, Mr. Duncan."

"This is doing business. That piece of clothing has been in my shop for almost a year. I don't care if it stays here a little longer." The owner said helplessly, "So what are you here for this time?"

"I want you to take a look at something." Jess took out a scale from his pocket and put it on the table and said, "Can you tell what this is, sir?"

The owner took his glasses and took a close look and said, "Naga scale, young man. Did you pick it up?"

Jess didn't respond immediately. He was a bit surprised why Ursula didn't immediately say that it was a scale he picked up, but this tailor shop owner could recognize it. Could it be that tailors know these materials better than alchemists?

"Um."

"This kind of scale is not very valuable." The owner said, "We don't accept this here. Maybe you can go to the dwarf district and ask. Armor makers still like this kind of Naga scale. The color is beautiful and it can decorate key parts of armor. And you can also use the gimmick of Naga scale armor with this scale to deceive those who don't understand. But in the mage district... what it is is what it is. Those mages sometimes see more clearly than we do. In terms of cheating and swindling, it is often only us poor small merchants who are cheated."

Strange. They are all Naga scales. Why is there such a big difference between what Ursula said and here?

Jess asked, "Why? I heard that Naga scales have magical effects and can enhance the power of frost magic and water magic... Is it false?"

"It's true." The owner said, "But it's not this kind of scale. This kind of scale... is still relatively easy to pick up. People who often walk by the sea can occasionally see this kind of scale even if they have never seen a Naga in their lifetime. Because it has a very beautiful and special shape, it is very conspicuous on the coast and is easily picked up with those shells. So even some armor makers buy it at the dock."

"The ones that truly have magical power are the chest scales of Naga, that is, those larger special scales that cover from the back to the neck and chest. It is said that those scales are replaced very slowly and are extremely rare to find. Generally, when we talk about Naga scales, we mean that thing."

Anyway, Jess was a bit depressed. He knew nothing about this aspect. He directly mixed all those scales together. Now how could he separate them again?

At noon, he went to the library to look for records about Naga scales. Fortunately, there were quite a lot of records and pictures about this aspect. He roughly recorded the characteristics and shapes of scales of different parts on a piece of paper and prepared to take it home to distinguish ordinary scales from expensive abdominal and back scales that could be sold.

After drawing, he realized that the paper at home was almost used up. Thae'No had almost filled all the paper with words. But currently he didn't have any spare money to buy things.

But in a few days, it will be the day to get paid. This is the first payment since he became an assistant, ten silver coins. He can buy a set of paper, ink and other things again at once.

As for those scales, if there is a market, sell them. If not, wait. He doesn't want to be in a hurry.

He solved his lunch with free snacks in the Wizard's Sanctuary. Then he squatted and waited for Marin in the garden at the entrance of the Wizard's Sanctuary. Regarding the matter of the gnoll alchemy laboratory, whether the little king is willing to send people to solve it or not, he must report this matter to the Wizard's Sanctuary.

After waiting for a while, Marin, who came out from the Blue Recluse, saw Jess from a distance.

"Master Marin." Jess stood up. "I have something important to tell you."

Marin walked over holding a long loaf of bread and asked, "You have returned from Westfall?"

"Yes." Jess said, "And I found the gnoll alchemy room. I have enough evidence to prove that they are brewing poison inside."

The old mage frowned and asked, "What evidence?"

Jess said, "There is Deathweed in the herbs they collected. Is it possible that they are poisoning Moonbrook or Sentinel Hill or something?"

"It's not impossible." Marin said, "I will write a letter to contact the royal mages this afternoon. But I think the king may still send people to confirm. If there is any follow-up news, I will tell you in time."

Jess asked, "Master, could there be any other forces driving the gnolls step by step closer to Stormwind City from behind?"

Marin replied, "We have been investigating the situation of orcs recently and indeed neglected the west. But as you said, indeed gnolls all over the country are restless. There are rumors of invasions and victim incidents everywhere... However, Jess, the Wizard's Sanctuary is currently not responsible for gnoll affairs. Even in Stonefort, our focus is only to provide magical assistance to the defenders rather than solve the trouble of gnolls."

"So, this is not the focus of my work either. It's hard for me to answer you. But if we really investigate and find some poison laboratory as you said, I'm afraid we will have to take responsibility. Just, first improve your own magic level well, Jess. You have just become an apprentice. Are you worrying a bit too much?"

What Marin said was right. Before one's strength reaches a certain level and is recognized, even if you know these things, no one will let you participate.

"By the way." Marin took out a ring from his bosom and said, "Return your assistant ring to me. Take this. Remember to go to Master Andromas to choose courses within a week. He is on the top floor of the Wizard's Sanctuary. But if you are going to start classes, it may be after Winter Veil. However, choose in advance and do some preview so that you won't be completely ignorant when classes start."

——Apprentice Ring.

Jess looked at the runes on it and the capital initial of his name and didn't feel the joy he had when he just became an apprentice.

"By the way, Jess, your Light spell..." Marin folded his arms and said, "Has there been any progress in the past two days?"

In any case, improve yourself first.

Jess took a step back, raised his finger, and silently recited "Liyusa!".

At this time, he had some experience in concentrating his focus. The Light spell was successfully concentrated. The brilliant arcane light was suspended on his fingertip like a light bulb.

This arcane light was quite bright, attracting many students in the garden to look this way. But Marin didn't look at the arcane light but stared closely at Jess's eyes and lips.

A minute had passed, but Marin didn't call a stop. Jess could feel that he found that summoning such an arcane light didn't make him very tired. It was very likely that he intended to test how long he could maintain it.

Two minutes passed... two minutes and thirty seconds passed. Jess seemed to feel the consumption of his mana.

At this moment, Marin suddenly snapped his fingers——Snap!

Jess looked at the old mage. The light spell in his hand flickered but didn't go out.

"Okay, Jess." Marin said, "You can let it disperse!"

Jess clenched his fist and the arcane light dissipated. He even felt that several fingers of his right hand were a bit stiff. He was too concentrated on summoning this light spell.

Jess took a deep breath and asked, "How is it, Master?"

Marin looked into Jess's eyes and asked in return, "Is the Light spell the first spell you learned?"