Chapter 57 Meierfeile Leilin pulled the bell cord beside the door. A pleasant chime sounded, followed by the swift yet rhythmic patter of hurried footsteps.
«Greetings! May I ask who you are? Do you have an appointment?» A butler, immaculately dressed and mannered, appeared in Leilin’s line of sight.
«Leilin Farell, here to visit the master of this residence!» Leilin smiled.
The butler’s face showed a clear dilemma. «Sir, as you may know, my master Meierfeile is a renowned scholar. His schedule for lessons and engagements is fully booked each day, I’m afraid…»
Just then, a young maidservant came running over swiftly and whispered a few words in the butler’s ear.
The butler’s expression changed instantly. He bowed deeply. «The Master invites you to the parlor!»
Leilin chuckled softly and retracted the magical fluctuations he had been subtly emanating.
After entering the residence, they were greeted by a corridor adorned with various works of art. Oil paintings, specimens, and other artifacts hung on the pale yellow walls, creating a very pleasant sight.
They proceeded all the way to the parlor, a spacious and grand room.
The furnishings within were also carefully chosen. While there were no dazzling gold, silver, or gemstones, the room was suffused with an air of history, conveying a sense of understated luxury.
Beside the parlor’s fireplace stood a deep crimson reclining chair. On it lay an elder with both eyebrows and beard as white as snow.
The old man’s face was lined with wrinkles, his eyes clouded, yet occasionally a glint of wisdom would flash through them.
Seeing Leilin, the elder’s eyes, which had been nearly closed, lit up. He rose to his feet and made a welcoming gesture. «Welcome, my young friend!»
Leilin stepped forward and gave the old man a light embrace. «It is my honor to meet you! This is a gift; I hope you like it.»
«I have a fondness for nightjar tail feathers; they symbolize peace!» The old man waved his hand. «Leal, leave us now. Let me have a proper conversation with this friend.»
«You may go as well,» Leilin said to Anna at his side.
The several maidservants and the butler bowed and withdrew, closing the door behind them. Soon, only Leilin and the elder remained in the spacious parlor.
"Alright, let me reintroduce myself! Meierfeile, Third-rank Apprentice! I've been settled in Polar Night City for three years now..." A wistful look crept into the old man's eyes.
"So then, guest from afar, and you?"
"Leilin Farell, Second-rank Apprentice. I'm a traveling
"I can smell the fragrance of youth on you. To advance to Second-rank at such an age — that's quite the talent!" Meierfeile praised.
"Just a stroke of luck..." Leilin hastened to be modest. Although the old man before him was clearly past his prime, the unmistakable fluctuations of a Third-rank Apprentice told the story of someone not to be trifled with.
"Chip, scan!"
"Meierfeile — Strength: 1.5 Agility: 1.4 Constitution: 2.9 Spirit: 8.5 Mana: 8 Status: Healthy. Assessment: Third-rank Apprentice; relatively dangerous!"
The Chip faithfully relayed the data to Leilin's vision.
As a Third-rank Apprentice who had traveled for years, Meierfeile certainly commanded far more spells than Leilin, and he surely possessed some trump cards for survival as well — a difficult opponent to handle.
That said, Leilin had come today bearing good intentions. According to the Chip's preliminary scan, there were not many Wizard Apprentices residing in Polar Night City, and Meierfeile was the one with the strongest energy fluctuation among them.
After a few more pleasantries, Leilin finally got down to business.
"The thing is, I'd like to settle in Polar Night City and open an herb shop. As you know, all the paperwork and procedures are quite tedious, and you need a local guarantor..."
"So you came to me?" Meierfeile chuckled, lifting his teacup and taking a sip of the black tea.
"Honestly, as a Wizard with aspirations toward truth, gold coins shouldn't really tempt us. I don't know what's behind this idea of yours — momentary boredom, or some other reason? But for me, it really is just a small matter!"
"I happen to have some rapport with the lord of Polar Night City. One of his sons takes lessons from me, and no city lord would refuse a request from a mystic... The settlement registration and the shop operating permits will be sorted out shortly." Meierfeile made his assurance.
"That's truly appreciated!" Leilin smiled and nodded. "If there's ever anything you need from me in the future, please don't hesitate to ask!"
The courtesy was impeccable, yet both the old man and Leilin knew it was nothing more than a pleasantry.
Processing settlement paperwork and the like might be difficult for ordinary people, but for a renowned scholar like Meierfeile, it was a matter of a few words. Even Leilin himself could handle it alone — it would just take a bit more time.
For both Meierfeile and Leilin, this exchange was simply a way to lay the groundwork for a basic friendship and smooth future dealings.
"Polar Night City is a place of peace and tranquility. If you're looking for a quiet life, it's absolutely the right fit for you. Later I'll introduce you to a few friends, and there are also some established customs and conventions you'll need to follow... Don't worry, they're all standard rules — things like not slaughtering large numbers of civilians, that sort of thing!"
"I certainly agree with that!" Leilin had come to Polar Night City primarily to escape the effects of the war, and naturally had no intention of doing anything conspicuous that would draw attention.
After that, Leilin and Meierfeile chatted about many topics related to Wizards, ranging from how to stabilize Spell Models to experiences with advancement. They even discussed some of Meierfeile's own past experiences.
Although Meierfeile was only a Third-rank Apprentice, he had spent a very long time at that stage, and his wealth of experience in various matters was extraordinarily rich, leaving Leilin feeling the trip had been well worth it.
At the same time, Leilin's vast knowledge base and remarkable memory repeatedly drew expressions of amazement from Meierfeile.
Both of them felt a sense of regret at not having met sooner. During their conversation, they shared lunch together, and it wasn't until night was about to fall that Meierfeile finally let Leilin leave. Before parting, the two agreed on a time for their next meeting.
"According to Meierfeile, all the Wizards in Polar Night City are at the Apprentice stage. He's been to the nearby market a few times as well — true Wizards are extremely rare. It's actually quite suitable for Apprentices to survive here!"
The information he had gathered today put Leilin's mind at ease, and his steps became noticeably lighter.
"As for the withering vegetation incident, Meierfeile knew nothing about it. After all, he's getting on in years and doesn't want to take any risks..."
The lamps on both sides of the street had been lit with dim yellow flames, allowing Leilin to see the road ahead.
Anna followed quietly behind Leilin. As an excellent handmaiden, she clearly knew what she should do, and never interrupted when Leilin was deep in thought.
By the time Leilin had finished running through his plans once more, the two of them had already walked back to the inn.
"Young master!" "My lord!"
Old Walker, Gelin, Fuleisa, and Ferron came forward to greet him.
Leilin nodded. "After dinner, come to my room. I need to go over many of the plans with you in advance!"
Dinner consisted of vegetable salad and lamb soup, along with large pieces of flatbread. By the time Leilin finished eating and had Anna tidy up, the others had already gathered in his room.
Leilin sat in an armchair upholstered with animal hide on the back, quietly listening to his subordinates' reports.
"Walker, how are things going with finding a place to stay?"
"Young master, old Walker has contacted a baron who is planning to relocate to the Sager Province. He's willing to sell you a small estate outside Polar Night City!" Old Walker stepped forward and reported. Though he was an old man, having found a new employer had filled him with energy and drive.
"Good. How large is it? Can it fit all of us? What's the asking price?" Leilin continued with his questions.
"Please rest assured, young master. Old Walker went to see the estate this afternoon. It's quite spacious — housing a hundred people wouldn't be a problem. Besides, there's a grove of oil palm trees, a fish pond, and a mill on the grounds... Sir Victor originally built the estate to baronial standards, but he didn't expect to be parting with it so quickly. As for the price, Sir Victor has set it at five thousand gold coins!"
"Not too expensive — gold coins are no problem!" Leilin interlaced his fingers. For a Wizard, mundane gold coins were entirely superfluous. What they truly cared about were Magic Stones, rare high-grade materials, and the secret knowledge contained in ancient texts.
Any single high-grade Magic Stone on Leilin's person could be traded for gold coins far exceeding this price, but he had no intention of doing so. After all, Magic Stones were far more precious. If it really came down to it, he could always borrow some from Meierfeile and repay the debt with potions — not a bad idea at all.
"Excellent! Take me to see it tomorrow. If the price and the location are both suitable, we'll sign the contract." Leilin nodded, then continued, "Also, go have a look around the city. The herb supply in Polar Night City has dropped recently, so plenty of smaller apothecaries won't be able to hold on and will be going under. Do some scouting first!"
"If I may speak frankly, young master — are you looking to open an apothecary? The business licenses for that sort of thing are quite strict..."
"Don't worry about that at all. I've already applied, and it should come through in a few days."
At those words, both Feile and old Walker's expressions shifted noticeably. The fact that Leilin could make such a casual guarantee meant his noble status was essentially confirmed.
And in the Marsh Duchy, noble status meant upward mobility and hope!
Thinking of this, the gazes they turned toward Leilin grew noticeably more fervent.
Feile quietly clenched his fist. As one of the rare few with foresight, he knew perfectly well that mercenary work couldn't last for long. Most mercenaries enjoyed a few good years before dying in pain, riddled with injuries. If this Lord Leilin was willing to take them on as his personal guard, that would be the most secure career transition imaginable.