The following day, before heading to the academy, Adam went to Berger's store early in the morning. This was his usual routine since he worked part-time as a shopkeeper at Herbs & More.
As he poured a cup of tea that he had just brewed for the gnome, he asked what was bothering him the entire night last night, "Old man."
"What is it?" The gnome asked in a bored manner as he flipped through the pages of an arcane textbook.
Adam placed the teacup before the gnome and replied with a serious expression, "Yesterday a package arrived."
"Get to the point before I beat you," Berger grumbled in annoyance.
Adam's lips twitched. Damn you, grumpy old man!
The following moment, he cleared his throat and said, "It was from the King."
"Oh?" Berger's face revealed a trace of surprise. He kept the book away and asked, "What did he send?"
"It contained all sorts of magical ingredients. It even had beast cores. But what surprised me the most was the vial of Neer Springwater."
"Oho, interesting." Berger's lips curled up into a smirk. "He's trying really hard to get in your good books, eh?"
Neer Springwater was a magical catalyst that increased the chances of success in potion making. Moreover, the resulting potion had the least amount of impurities and its effects were also potent.
Needless to say, it was very rare in the Southern Federation. Even if one found it, they would rarely put it for sale if they could use it for themselves.
The fact that the King gifted Adam such an item spoke volumes.
"Trying hard to get in my good books?" Adam was puzzled. He asked with a tilt of his head, "What do you mean? I'm merely an Organ Stage Magus."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Berger took a sip of tea from the cup and explained, "It's not about what you are currently, but what you will become in the future."
"I… don't get it." Adam was still confused.
"You idiot." Berger was about to smack the youth but realized that his smoking pipe wasn't anywhere near him.
"Hehe, looking for this?" Adam chuckled smugly as he waved the gnome's pipe in his hand. "I am already one step ahead of—"
POW!
"Fool, you think I can't use my fists?" Berger smacked him nevertheless.
"Ugh!" Adam was nearly brought to tears. No matter how intensely he focused with his Sphere of Resonance, he was never able to see Berger's attack coming. The old gnome was simply too powerful for him.
"Anyway, as I was saying," Berger began as he stuffed some tobacco leaves in his pipe. "The King sees great potential in you and wants to build a healthy relationship while you're still a hairless Organ Stage brat."
"But why would he want to build a relationship with me? I don't get it. Isn't he the King of the Nightingale Kingdom and the de facto leader of the humans in the Southern Federation?" Adam paused for a brief moment before thinking of something else.
"What's more, he's a mighty Rank 3 Magus!"
Seeing Adam's response, Beger couldn't help but helplessly sigh. "You really are hopeless."
He exhaled a cloud of smoke before continuing, "Magi your age, all you think about is magic spells and magic combat. It's as if there's nothing more to life beyond magic."
Adam earnestly spoke from the depths of his heart, "Of course, there isn't. Magic is my everything!"
Seeing the youth's genuine expression, the gnome couldn't help but smile faintly. "It's good that you think this way. But a Magus needs more than just magic to get through life."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Adam remained silent and patiently waited for the gnome to continue.
"In our world, forming good relationships with other Magi is essential. Even Dark Magi from the evil faction, who are known to be lone wolves by nature, understand the importance of networking," Berger began.
"One of the, if not the biggest reasons that Magi form relationships with other Magi is knowledge sharing."
Adam was greatly surprised. "You mean, they would willingly exchange arcane knowledge? Why would they do that? I thought they strongly safeguarded such things."
"Hehe, boy, in this world everything has a price." Berger chuckled as he took another puff from his pipe.
Everything has a price… the youth ruminated over the gnome's words.
Berger continued, "There will be many instances in the future where you will require rare resources that are not so easily available. In times like these, networking with other wizards will facilitate the trading of such resources."
Hmm, that indeed makes sense. Adam nodded ever so slightly as he stroked his chin.
"So it's all about opportunities, huh?" He suddenly asked.
"Precisely." Berger nodded. "There will be countless opportunities in your journey as a Magus. More often than not, networking leads to these opportunities."
"I see…" Adam was deep in thought. He suddenly came to an understanding, "Could it be that the King wants to build a relationship with me because I'm your apprentice?"
"That could be one of the reasons." Berger nodded. "Didn't you mention that you had an altercation with that Gracie boy in Glassford? And that Elrod came to your rescue when one of the academy professors tried to attack you?"
Adam's eyes lit up. "You mean…"
Berger nodded. "Elrod, a Magus from the other side of the Murky Mountains, being so protective of you may as well be one of the reasons why Arnold is trying to build a good relationship with you."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})"Ohhh, I see, I see." Adam nodded repeatedly, but the next moment, he asked with a tilt of his head, "But who's Arnold?"
"That's the King."
Adam gasped in disbelief, "Old man, you… you know the king on a first-name basis?!"
POW!
"Who the hell do you think I am?" Berger roared. "Do you know how prestigious a status Herbalists and Artificers hold in these lands?"
"Ugh!" Adam held his forehead in agony. "No need to get mad!"
"Hmph!" Berger harrumphed, then took a sip of tea to calm down.
"Now you understand why Arnold wants to get in your good books, eh? Not only are you a Herbalist, but you also have connections with not just one, but two Rank 3 Magi."
"Ehehe~" Adam laughed strangely. "Guess, I'm moving up in the world, huh?"
The next moment, his expression turned solemn. "So what do I do now? He sent me such an expensive gift. Must I reciprocate as well? But I don't wish to spend too much money."
The gnome spoke in dismay, "You really are a cheap little fellow."
"Keke, you know me best!" Adam smiled abashedly.
"Do what you want. Send him back a potion made from the ingredients you got." Berger got back to reading the book. "Now, shoo. Go away."
"Alright, see you later, old man." Adam cleaned the counter and then bid farewell after taking care of some other minor chores in the store.
On his way to the academy, he deeply thought about what to send to the King. He knew he couldn't be stingy about it. It was the King of the Nightingale Kingdom after all.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he grinned.
That's right, that should be the perfect return gift, hehe!
