Chapter 17 - Three-Star Mage

After grabbing the book, Alaric returned to the shop to rest. Vergo was gone—off to his house or wherever he disappeared to during the evenings.

Alaric closed up the shop and headed to his new room. It was small, but cozy. The furnishings were minimal, just a bed and a small table, but it had something he hadn't felt in a long time: peace.

He was alone.

Back when he lived in Ashley's cabin, and later at Ruby's house, he'd always had someone nearby. This was the first time he had his own space, even if it was just the back room of a quiet shop.

Alaric laid down, pulling the blanket up over both himself and the magic book. His body sank into the bed, and sleep washed over him. It was one of the best naps he'd ever had.

The shop was in a safe part of town, close enough to the city center to avoid trouble, but still tucked away in a silent corner. That mix of safety and silence gave Alaric the deepest sleep he'd had in weeks.

He woke up five hours later. His nap had turned into full sleep.

"So late already?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes and looking out the window.

The streets were dark. The island was quiet now—most people were already home, settling in for the night.

Alaric checked his system.

[+2 mana points]

[+5 pages read]

His progress showed. He'd unlocked another spell.

Alongside his tiny fireball and his ball of water, he'd started learning a vine spell—basic magic, foundational stuff, spells that every beginner mage was expected to master. But Alaric didn't mind. If he wanted to grow stronger, this was the path.

He got dressed and stepped out. His stomach growled—loudly.

The streets were mostly empty, but as he walked, he spotted Ruby's restaurant still open.

Inside, Ruby perked up the moment she saw him walk through the door.

"You're alive," she said, grinning. "How was work?"

"Good. Quiet. I had maybe four customers the whole day. Mostly just standing there. Kinda boring, but I expected that. What about you?"

Ruby leaned on the counter, sighing. "Busy. Really busy, actually. We've had more customers than usual lately. I think it's because that restaurant near us got shut down. Vigilance caught them with a dirty kitchen."

Alaric raised his eyebrows. He hadn't expected that kind of oversight on an island like this.

"Still," he said, "that's good for you, right? More customers means more coin."

Ruby nodded. "You'd think so. But… I don't know. We're stuck here. What's money worth if we can't leave?"

Her voice turned quiet at the end.

Alaric knew that tone. Ruby's sister had left the island to chase magic—something Ruby dreamed of doing too. And Alaric? He wanted to leave just as badly. Not for revenge against the magic academy—not yet, anyway—but for adventure. For freedom.

He didn't want to spend his life stuck in one place. He wanted the world: cities, mountains, forgotten ruins, new people.

"One day we'll leave," Alaric said confidently. "I know we will."

Ruby smiled weakly. "I hope so… Anyway, what do you want to eat? I'll cook something for you."

Fish was the standard here—cheap, nutritious, everywhere. Alaric wasn't its biggest fan, but he'd learned to appreciate it. It was the best protein they had.

"Fish," he said. "Whatever you've got."

Ruby got to work.

Alaric found a seat by the balcony while he waited. The view opened out to the ocean. From there, he saw the waves roll gently across the shore, the silhouettes of small boats drifting in the moonlight. Fishermen still working, even at this hour—tired hands hauling up nets so their families could eat.

It was all simple.

But beautiful.

Ruby returned with two plates of food—not just one. She placed them on the balcony table and sat down beside Alaric.

"My shift's done, so we can eat together and talk," she said. "How's the book going? Learning anything new from it?"

She leaned in slightly, curious. Ever since she'd seen him cast that fire spell with barely any practice, she'd been dying to know more.

Alaric hesitated. He wasn't sure how much he should share. His progress had been… fast. Too fast. If he told her everything, she'd be shocked. Maybe even suspicious. He didn't want that—for now, it was better to keep things vague.

"I haven't learned anything new," he said, keeping his tone casual. "Just improving control over the fire spell. The next ones are a bit harder."

Ruby nodded sympathetically, trying to reassure him. "That's normal. Your progress is already impressive, especially considering you're training by yourself. Hey… what do you think about studying together once I get my tutor? We could share the book, practice spells. Might be fun."

Alaric glanced at her. It was a generous offer. She was clearly worried about taking the book back and leaving him without access. But he didn't share her concern. Thanks to Sloth's Wisdom, he planned to finish it well before the tutor ever showed up.

Not just finish it—master it. He wanted to be ahead of the tutor. Way ahead.

"I'll think about it when your tutor arrives, okay?"

"Of course!" she smiled.

They ate together in silence. Ruby, worn out from a long shift, barely spoke, and Alaric couldn't think of anything to say to break the quiet.

But that wasn't a bad thing. Silence had its own kind of comfort. Their friendship didn't falter because of it—in fact, they enjoyed the peace as they sat side by side, watching the ocean.

Eventually, it was time to part ways.

Ruby glanced at Alaric. "How's the new room?" she asked. "Are you sure you want to sleep there? You can always stay at my house if you'd rather."

Her place was spacious and far more comfortable than the cramped little room in the shop. But Alaric wanted his own space. A quiet place to rest and think. And staying at the shop meant not feeling like he was inconveniencing anyone.

"Yeah, I'm good in the shop," he replied. "It's peaceful. And I have to open it in the morning anyway, so it's easier this way."

Ruby nodded. "Alright. I'll trust you. See you tomorrow, Alaric."

"See ya."

He walked back to the shop, winding through the quiet streets. The town was mostly shut down for the night. Near the back of the shop was the small outdoor bathroom Vergo had pointed out earlier.

As he stepped inside, a flicker of unease ran through him. The last time he'd been in a bathroom like this, he'd been ambushed. He glanced around nervously, eyes darting to the shadows. No one was there.

Still, the memory lingered.

After finishing up, Alaric returned to the shop and locked the door behind him. Time to sleep again.

He lay down on the bed, thinking about how easily sleep came to him now. No tossing, no turning. Just stillness, followed by deep rest.

The system might have changed something inside him.

Most people needed to be tired to fall asleep—but Alaric could sleep almost on command. Like flipping a switch. Which was a blessing, considering how important rest was to his growth.

More sleep meant more mana. More learned pages. More spells.

And so, the days repeated.

Open the shop. Wait for customers. Study the book. Sleep. Practice spells. Eat. Repeat.

He kept the routine going for an entire month.

After one month passed, Alaric was a completely different person, and mage too. He had mastered the whole book Ruby gave him. He was now a three-star mage.