Chapter 36
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Translator: MJK
Chapter: 036
Chapter Title: Magitech Engineer Estelle
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The library was located in the city's central district, a place where the upper class and wealthy elite primarily resided.
Literacy was the exclusive privilege of the nobility, so facilities like libraries naturally had to be built near them.
For Andy, it was a real chore.
'The city's so huge... It takes a full two hours just to reach the central district.'
The inn Andy's group had taken was on the outskirts near the city's north gate, making the library quite a distance away.
It was a two-hour walk at minimum. For Andy, who was still a child with shorter strides, it took even longer. Getting to the library alone consumed a fair bit of time.
But it was worth the effort.
'Wow!'
Stepping inside, Andy couldn't help but gasp in awe.
The massive building stretched five stories tall, its interior packed wall-to-wall with books. No matter where he looked, shelves crammed full of tomes stood in neat rows.
It was a space dedicated solely to reading and storing books. The entire structure reeked of that distinctive musty scent of paper and ink. The boy's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
'So many books... I wonder what kinds they have?'
In his life so far, Andy hadn't seen many books. Just the single shelf in the village chief's house back then, plus two magic tomes. That was the extent of it.
But here, countless volumes filled the place—far too many to even count. Andy was overwhelmed by the sheer number.
However, using the library wasn't so simple.
"You can't use the library without a Class 2 citizen ID, little one."
"...Class 2 citizen ID? What's that?"
"It means you've contributed enough to the city. Specifically, it goes to those who've paid a substantial amount in taxes."
The librarian eyed Andy's clothes. The boy's shabby outfit screamed commoner. Adjusting his glasses, the man let out a condescending chuckle.
"You don't look like someone who belongs here."
"..."
Andy frowned.
This was a problem. He hadn't expected the library to require some kind of qualification...
He'd only arrived in the city yesterday. He didn't have a Class 2 ID—or any tax history, for that matter. Naturally, he didn't qualify to use the library.
His shoulders slumped.
Was he really going to have to turn back now? After hours of walking, with all these books right in front of him?
He couldn't bring himself to leave. There was too much lingering regret.
That was when it happened.
"Oh? A new mage? I can sense the mana—you're a magic user, aren't you?"
A voice called out. It belonged to a young woman.
Turning toward the sound, Andy saw a woman with bright golden hair looking his way.
She appeared to be in her early twenties.
Her face was somewhat pale. She wore large glasses and a mage's robe with wide sleeves.
Andy sensed it instinctively.
'She's a mage.'
The robe she wore and the faint lingering mana emanating from her clearly marked her as one.
She tilted her head and spoke.
"Why are you leaving already? You just came in. Aren't you here for the books?"
"I don't have a citizen ID. I didn't know, but they say you need a Class 2 one to use the library."
"Wait, why would you need that? You're a mage."
"Yeah."
Just as Andy had detected her mana residue and realized she was a mage,
she seemed to have easily recognized him as one too.
She continued.
"All Federation libraries are fully open to mages. You didn't know that?"
"...Really?"
Mages were a privileged class.
"Y-You're a mage...?"
The middle-aged man paled, fidgeting nervously. He was the librarian who'd just openly dismissed Andy moments ago.
But neither Andy nor the woman mage spared him a glance. The two mages were too busy sizing each other up.
'Another mage besides me. Wonder what it's like to meet one.'
'He looks so young, but he's already formed a circle. How old is he?'
Andy was thrilled to encounter another mage.
The woman was amazed that such a young child had already formed a circle.
The two gazed at each other with curious eyes.
The woman extended her hand for a shake.
"Estelle Lefen. 3rd Circle mage. Twenty-three years old, been out of the Magic Tower for a year now. You?"
"I'm Andy. 1st Circle. Twelve years old."
"Twelve? Wow, you really are super young!"
When Andy revealed his age, Estelle stared at him in surprise.
Most mages didn't form their first circle until after turning fifteen at the earliest. The process of entering magic and creating a circle was incredibly arduous.
Yet this boy had reached 1st Circle at just twelve. An astonishing achievement for his age.
She looked at him with even greater curiosity.
'What family is he from? To form a circle so young, he must be from a prestigious house.'
Mage talent was largely hereditary. The older and more renowned the family, the greater their members' magical gifts.
And this boy had formed a circle at twelve.
Unless he'd stumbled upon a dragon's heart like in legends, he had to come from exceptional bloodline. Estelle assumed he was from a noble mage family.
She couldn't understand why a scion like him wasn't wearing a robe or finer clothes...
Suddenly, she made a suggestion.
"Since we've crossed paths like this, how about grabbing a bite? My treat. It's lunchtime anyway—perfect timing."
Estelle proposed they eat together.
Andy nodded.
'I can always come back to the library later.'
Now that he knew mages had free access to city libraries, he could return anytime.
But chatting with another mage? That was a rare chance that might not come again.
Andy accepted her offer.
"Let's go. There's a nice place nearby. No annoying nobles, super quiet—my favorite."
She led the way, and Andy followed.
The restaurant Estelle took him to was on the outskirts of the central district.
Not fully upscale, but not cheap enough for commoners either. It had a somewhat ambiguous vibe.
Spearing a piece of meat with her fork, Estelle spoke.
"An orphan? For real?"
"Yeah. We've been fleeing the war, and I only got here yesterday."
"That's wild..."
Over lunch, Estelle chatted with Andy and learned a lot about him.
No parents. Grew up as a commoner. Learned magic by chance. Lost his home to the war and fled here...
Estelle could hardly believe the boy's story.
'Is this even possible?'
How had an orphan learned magic? How had he formed a circle at twelve? How had he grown as a mage without any support?
It made no sense to her.
Mages required massive backing from the start.
Even at the beginner stage, they needed potions to absorb large amounts of mana. Advancing required dedicated guidance from skilled mages. Without that, becoming a proper mage was nearly impossible.
Yet this boy, despite his orphan hardships, had already formed a circle.
How on earth?
'Is he lying? Hiding his real background?'
She eyed him suspiciously but soon shook her head. There wasn't a hint of deception on the boy's face.
She couldn't imagine a child that young lying so flawlessly. His words were probably true.
Estelle was inwardly stunned.
'What kind of insane talent...'
If he'd really formed a circle at twelve as an orphan,
that was talent straight from the gods.
Even noble houses pouring in resources couldn't achieve that by twelve.
Doing it with no support? His gift had to be extraordinary.
Estelle felt her curiosity piqued by the boy before her.
His background of rising as a mage despite being an orphan, his talent to form a circle at twelve—
Everything was fascinating. He was the kind of person rarely seen in mage society.
She had to ask.
"What are your plans going forward?"
She wanted to know his future path, what this talented boy aimed to do.
Andy answered.
"Keep learning magic... and raise my circle level, right?"
"No, I mean, what'll you do to make a living?"
"?"
As the boy tilted his head, Estelle continued softly.
"Not all mages are the same. Some specialize in combat magic, others in alchemy for potions, some in crafting magic tools as magitech engineers... What kind do you want to be?"
Andy hadn't known, but there were various mage careers.
Combat, potions, magic tools—each delved into their specialty, building expertise in one field.
That's what Estelle was asking: what kind of mage did he aspire to be?
"Uh..."
Andy trailed off. It was a question he'd never considered.
He'd only thought about learning magic and advancing his circles. He'd never pondered his career.
Suddenly hit with it, he had no easy answer.
Then Estelle proposed.
"Hey, ever thought about magitech engineering?"
"Magitech...?"
"Magic tool crafting, basically. FYI, I'm a magitech engineer. Every magic tool in this city? I made them."
Estelle, a 3rd Circle mage, was a magic tool crafter—a magitech engineer. Unlike combat mages on the front lines, she focused on fabrication.
"If you haven't decided on a path, how about working under me for a bit? Might suit you. I'll pay well too. I've got tons of work and could use an extra hand."
She offered him a position assisting her.
Andy rested his chin on his hand, thinking.
'Magitech engineer...'
He'd never imagined it.
He'd only wanted to learn magic, not infuse it into objects.
But hearing her offer sparked intense curiosity.
'Items with magical effects... How do you even make them?'
Andy wondered how to imbue objects with magic. He knew how to cast spells: expand the soul's spiritual senses, amplify will, arrange mana, and manifest.
But tools? They had no soul, so how could they cast magic?
'Would helping a magitech engineer let me find out?'
Probably. Assisting her in crafting would teach him the principles and process naturally.
After a moment's thought, Andy nodded.
"I'll give it a try. Not sure if I'll be good at it... but magitech work sounds intriguing."
"Smart choice."
Estelle grinned.
Andy didn't realize the smile on her lips resembled that of an academy professor recruiting a promising researcher.
'He seems talented. A little training, and he'll be a huge help. Who knows—he might become a great magitech engineer and a valuable connection later.'
Her devious plan to lure the gifted boy and groom him as a magitech engineer.
And so, through sheer chance, Andy began helping at Estelle's workshop.
It was just the second day since arriving in the city.