Chapter 76: The Middle-Aged Mage Who Misspoke & Clarification

As the skill points were consumed…

[Skill Points: 45 → 44]

A new ability, "Scroll Crafting," appeared in the profession skill section.

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Skill: Scroll Crafting

Cost: 1–3 low-tier scrolls / 5 MP (Mana cost doubles every three tiers)

Description: Allows the creation of blank magic scrolls of corresponding tiers using suitable materials (requires substantial material and mana consumption).

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Lyle's eyes brightened as he scanned the skill panel.

He hadn't expected to acquire the art of scroll crafting so easily!

For a technique that had clearly been refined by humans for adaptability, the supposed drawback of "higher material and mana consumption" didn't bother him in the least.

Just like with the Alchemist class—without high-grade herbs and ingredients, producing advanced potions was impossible.

However, thanks to his Papermaking skill, which could be upgraded with skill points, Lyle had a self-sustaining source of scroll paper. The only real concern was mana expenditure.

"This should be a second-tier magic scroll, right?" Lyle asked abruptly.

"That's correct," the middle-aged mage replied.

He first glanced at Master Bellory, his normally strict teacher, to check if there were any objections. Seeing no reaction, his surprise grew, yet he took the initiative to explain:

"Standard parchment-made magic scrolls can only hold first-tier spells. Anything beyond that is impossible."

"To craft second-tier scrolls, parchment must be combined with paper made using second-tier Papermaking magic."

Lyle nodded in understanding, then curiously eyed the pale golden liquid in which the paper had been soaking. "And this liquid is…?"

Acquiring the technical know-how of scroll crafting alone wasn't enough!

There was still the crucial process of infusing magic into the scrolls.

He had no intention of becoming an apprentice to a spellcaster who could likely only use third-tier magic. So, while the opportunity presented itself, he was determined to extract as much knowledge as possible.

The middle-aged mage instinctively glanced at his teacher again, only to see that Master Bellory was still occupied inspecting a magic scroll he had just crafted. The old man showed no intention of intervening.

"It's a magical stabilizing solution," the middle-aged mage explained, his tone notably warmer now, his expression filled with goodwill.

Initially, he had assumed this black-haired young man had merely been brought here due to some privileged background.

But now…

It seemed the teacher had taken an interest in him.

"The second-tier Papermaking spell is significantly harder to master compared to other spells of the same tier."

"Because of differences in a caster's mana capacity, skill proficiency, and various other factors, the magical energy within the crafted paper can vary in potency."

"As a result, when crafting magic scrolls, unstable mana fluctuations can lead to failure—or worse, hazardous incidents."

"That's where this stabilizing solution comes in."

At this point, the middle-aged mage subtly glanced at Master Bellory and, with a hint of flattery, added:

"Only someone like the master can produce flawless second-tier paper that doesn't require magical stabilizers."

Oh?

Lyle's curiosity immediately faded upon hearing the function of the golden liquid. Instead, a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes as he looked at the middle-aged mage with some pity.

He completely miscalculated.

Back in the main hall, the old master had carefully examined the second-tier paper Lyle produced and given a neutral yet telling remark:

"This level of quality would be considered excellent among my disciples."

Looking at the situation now, that statement was probably meant to elevate Lyle.

His second-tier Papermaking ability was likely on par with Master Bellory's own.

Of course, that was entirely thanks to the "player" system rather than his personal talent, but the end result remained unchanged.

No wonder the old man had skipped all formalities and directly asked if he wanted to become his disciple.

And sure enough…

The moment the middle-aged mage finished speaking, Bellory's hand, which had been inspecting a scroll, paused.

"How many blank magic scrolls have you made today?" Bellory lifted his gaze, his face expressionless.

"T-the second one," the middle-aged mage stammered, suddenly sensing an odd tension in the air.

"Only two, after all this time?"

"If you're that idle, then you can clean the entire workshop." Bellory's tone was calm, yet carried undeniable authority.

The middle-aged mage looked bewildered and aggrieved. "Huh?"

Scroll crafting wasn't inherently difficult, but selecting sheets with similar mana levels, preparing stabilizing solutions, and recovering spent mana all took time!

"Must I repeat myself?" Bellory's eyes narrowed slightly.

"N-no, Master!"

Not daring to argue, the middle-aged mage hurriedly turned and left.

Having had his subtle flattery exposed, Bellory's aged face remained completely impassive. Instead, he spoke in an even tone:

"This is the process of making magic scrolls."

With that, he turned and walked deeper into the building. His pace, however, was noticeably quicker than before.

—

Following his lead, Lyle entered a dimly lit, cluttered room.

The word "cluttered" was no exaggeration.

At a glance, the room was about a hundred square meters in size, yet nearly a third of it was occupied by densely packed bookshelves.

On the wall directly opposite the entrance hung a massive, ancient map. A bold, central mountain range seemed to divide the entire map into two halves.

Wait…

That's a map of the "Re-Estize Kingdom" and the "Baharuth Empire"!

Lyle instantly recognized the "Azerlisia Mountain Range", a key landmark.

Aside from the bookshelves, the room was filled with various strange objects. Some were stone tablets, while others looked like fragments taken from old structures.

There were also a multitude of notebooks, scrolls, and different-colored animal hides scattered about.

Lyle even spotted a fully preserved hide of an adult Barghest tucked in the corner—no wonder Bellory had been completely unfazed when seeing a Barghest earlier.

With all these items crammed into the space, the entire room felt overwhelmingly cramped.

Bellory, now inside, seemed to shed some of his usual sternness. The rigid, almost harsh expression he always wore softened slightly, revealing a trace of exhaustion.

"I imagine you have many questions."

"No rush. Sit. We'll talk."

Lyle, without a shred of hesitation, took a seat directly across from him.

Bellory paused briefly, then chuckled. "Good. Those with talent shouldn't act like commoners."