Chapter 37: The Study Plan

Hutson inserted the copper key into the lock, and immediately, a faint pulse of magic rippled through the door. With a soft click, the door unlocked and swung open on its own.

As soon as he stepped inside, warm golden light flickered to life, illuminating the room with a soft, inviting glow.

The interior was fully furnished—a wooden table and chairs, a cozy fireplace stacked with neatly arranged firewood, and oil paintings adorning the walls, mostly landscapes depicting forests, rivers, and distant mountains.

The wall-mounted lanterns bore a resemblance to the ones used on ships, though they were far more intricately designed. Each lantern contained a pale yellow stone, softly glowing from within, casting a warm and steady light.

The first floor housed a living area and a kitchen. The second floor contained three rooms—a bedroom, a study, and a spare room waiting to be filled.

The third floor was an attic, its ceiling lower than the other levels, making it an ideal space for storage.

Hutson explored the kitchen and was surprised to find it fully stocked with tableware, various spices, and even tea leaves and coffee.

Settling in, he lit the fireplace, allowing the flames to chase away the lingering chill of the room. Then, he heated a pot of water and brewed himself a cup of coffee, letting its rich aroma fill the space.

After a brief moment of rest, he began organizing his priorities.

"AI chip, generate a recommended course study plan."

The arcane system within him responded instantly:

Study the Fundamentals of Meditation.Learn the Principles of Spell Model Construction.Develop proficiency in multiple languages.Master a basic defensive spell.Learn a basic offensive spell.

…

As the detailed study plan unfolded, Hutson realized just how much he had to learn.

He activated his rune stone and browsed through the course schedule. At Moonlit Woodland, classes ran from 9 AM to 9 PM, each session lasting three hours.

The schedule was packed with diverse subjects—ranging from Anatomy and Necrobiology to Shadow Magic and Theoretical Runes.

After some searching, he found the listing for Lori Evane's course:

"Fundamentals of Meditation" – New session starting next Monday.

Then he saw the price.

"15 gold coins… for a beginner-level course?"

Hutson frowned. That was a steep price for a single subject.

Payment was collected in person, but fortunately, he had course vouchers, which he could redeem instead of paying in gold. The academy would later compensate instructors by converting the vouchers into gold coins.

The course was structured into three sessions, totaling nine hours of instruction.

Hutson sighed. "15 gold… and that's just one course?"

Curious about his finances, he retrieved his coin pouch from his storage ring and counted.

"Only 20 gold coins left."

He switched to the "Missions" tab on his rune stone, scanning for potential jobs:

"Seeking Herbology Lab Assistant – Must have basic herbology knowledge. Practical assessment required. Reward: 30 gold coins.""Assistance needed to slay a Mountain Troll – Minimum rank: Second-class apprentice. Must possess at least two offensive spells. Reward: 20 mana stones.""Collect Walking Grass from the Shadow Valley – 20 gold coins per plant."

…

The rune stone only allowed apprentices to view and contact mission issuers. To post a mission, one had to visit the Administration Hall, fill out a request, and pay a deposit before it would be listed on the Arcane Network.

Each rune stone was soul-bound to its respective wizard and functioned differently depending on the organization.

However, there was a range limit—it only worked within the eight wizarding organizations of this region. Beyond that, it would be useless. Still, for daily life in Moonlit Woodland, it was more than sufficient.

After careful consideration, Hutson registered for three courses:

"Fundamentals of Meditation" by Lori Evane"Principles of Spell Model Construction" by Oleg Zotyev"Introduction to Herbology" by Yuna, as Larry had no classes scheduled.

Total cost: 70 gold coins.

With just 20 gold in his pouch, he had to find a way to earn fast.

Courses at Moonlit Woodland did not provide textbooks. Students were expected to find or purchase their own.

The academy's library, the tallest structure in Moonlit Woodland, spanned seventeen floors and had stood for over two thousand years, housing an immense collection of magical knowledge.

Hutson's library card granted him access only to the first floor—the lowest tier of clearance.

Luckily, the required books for his courses were introductory texts, all available on the first floor.

He successfully borrowed books for Meditation and Herbology, but the Spell Model Construction textbook had already been checked out.

"You might want to check the flea market," the librarian suggested, recognizing him as a new apprentice.

"Flea market?"

The librarian nodded. "Many wizards sell old or unused items there—books, artifacts, even rare ingredients. You never know what you'll find."

Following the librarian's instructions, Hutson made his way west of town—toward the flea market.

The flea market was an unpredictable place. Unlike the structured halls of the academy, this was the domain of barter, hidden treasures, and forgotten relics.

And somewhere within it, Hutson hoped to find the missing textbook he needed to begin his studies.

His journey in Moonlit Woodland was only just beginning.

The marketplace wasn't much different from an ordinary street market—except for one key distinction: it was quiet.

Unlike the bustling, chaotic marketplaces of common folk, wizards preferred silence. Most of the apprentice vendors sat behind their stalls, deeply engrossed in books. They would only reluctantly put them down when a potential buyer approached.

Hutson walked past stalls displaying bizarre and unidentifiable objects. Strange body parts of creatures, some still twitching, were arranged with meticulous care. Preserved eyeballs, skeletal hands, pulsating organs—nothing seemed too out of place in this eerie bazaar.

Then he saw something truly absurd.

A vendor was selling excrement.

A small wooden sign next to it read: "Dragon Dung."

The problem?

It looked… way too fresh.

Hutson's expression darkened. No matter how he looked at it, this was not dragon dung.

Suppressing a gag, he swiftly turned and walked away, moving towards the book section of the market.

One of the stalls was stacked with several piles of books, their spines worn with use. The vendor was a thin, bespectacled boy, hunched over a book of his own.

"Do you have Fundamentals of Spell Model Construction?" Hutson asked.

The boy adjusted his glasses and nodded immediately. "I do!"

He then dove into the stacks, rummaging through the books with an almost frantic energy. It quickly became apparent that he had no idea where it was.

After several long moments of searching, he finally pulled it out.

"How much?" Hutson asked.

"Fifty silver coins."

Hutson blinked. "How much?"

The boy pushed his glasses up and patiently explained, "That's the going rate. I bought it for fifty silver myself. Once you're done with the course, you can sell it again. That's how we all do it. We don't buy books to make a profit—just to break even."

Skeptical, Hutson visited several other vendors to confirm the price. Each stall gave him the same answer.

He still doubted their claim of not making a profit—but the price was indeed standard.

With a sigh, he counted out fifty silver coins and handed them over, taking the book in return.

As the boy tallied the coins, he looked up and said, "You're new here, aren't you? You should add me on the Rune Stone. I have a lot of books."

Hutson considered it for a moment—having a reliable source for books could be useful. "Alright."

"Nice to meet you! I'm Leo Severin." The boy smiled.

"Hutson Merlin."

After adding him, Hutson's contact list now had two names.

As he stored the book away, a thought suddenly struck him.

"…I don't know Lilian's Rune Stone ID."

Before coming to Moonlit Woodland, neither of them had even known about the existence of these magical communication devices.

Now, their only means of staying in touch was through letters.

Hutson frowned slightly. He'd have to figure out a way to fix that.

For now, he had his first textbook—and the first step of his wizarding education could finally begin.