Chapter 78: Andini’s Past
“You can take a look first.”
The child, understanding and polite, handed over a small booklet.
Gauss accepted it and flipped through it briefly.
Though he couldn’t be certain of its authenticity, it was well‑illustrated and looked quite legitimate.
It even included a simple map of the town, marking some key shops and districts, as well as the area, schedule, and notes for the spellcaster‑apprentice gathering—everything he needed.
Called a guide, it was really a compiled walkthrough aimed at travelers visiting Wormwood Town for the first time.
After confirming the contents seemed plausible, Gauss took out twenty copper coins and handed them to the child.
Walking through the town square, he passed the liveliest‑looking tavern and once again saw that familiar luxury covered wagon—the same group he had encountered yesterday.
Sure enough, Wormwood Town was their destination too.
As Gauss was observing, fatefully, the man in silver‑white chainmail stepped out of the tavern.
Their eyes met again across the distance; his brow furrowed involuntarily.
It wasn’t that he was surprised to see Gauss in Wormwood Town—after all, he had inquired yesterday about the caravan’s destination—
It was just surprising that they bumped into each other so coincidentally again in front of the tavern.
They nodded to each other once more, neither inclined to speak, and went their separate ways.
Gauss checked into a budget inn,
and began reading the guide carefully.
As he read in detail, he discovered that aside from the gathering there was an interesting location in town: the Spellcaster‑Apprentice Mutual Aid Association.
The guide explained that it wasn’t official—just a loosely organized, decades‑old informal group of apprentice spellcasters in town, where apprentices could fairly exchange intelligence, team up, train, and help each other.
Since the gathering wouldn’t open until evening,
Gauss decided to visit this mutual aid association first to see if he could find something unexpected.
Following the map in the guide, Gauss eventually arrived at a three‑story red‑brick building.
It looked no different from surrounding residences; if not for the sign hanging at the door with its name, Gauss would have had trouble distinguishing it.
“Huh?”
Entering the building, Gauss was immediately drawn to a statue in the hall.
The statue wasn’t large—only about ninety centimeters tall—placed on a central display pedestal and carved with intricate detail.
Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a miniature adult woman, standing with her hands on her hips, posed proudly atop the display, looking down at him.
Gauss squinted, scanning the statue up and down; the more he looked, the more familiar it seemed.
Suddenly it dawned on him.
“That isn’t Andini herself!”
Examining the statue’s face, it was almost identical to Andini’s.
“Welcome to the Spellcaster‑Apprentice Mutual Aid Association. I’m Vice President Lawrence.”
A man emerged from the nearby office.
“Hello, I’m Gauss. May I ask about this statue?”
To confirm his suspicion, Gauss deliberately looked at the statue and asked.
“This is the association’s first president—the halfling Ms. Andini—and also a powerful professional mage.”
Just as he thought!
No wonder Andini recommended him come here.
His thoughts drifted back to a few days ago.
“If you want proper training, I recommend Wormwood Town. It’s a place where apprentice spellcasters support each other. I went there many years ago, and I hear it hasn’t changed much since.”
Before sending him off, Andini had said with utmost seriousness.
She said she had been there herself—so this was the very organization she had founded.
Gauss couldn’t help but shake his head.
“Could you tell me more about Ms. Andini?”
He couldn’t resist being curious.
Though he had met halfling Andini twice and received much care from her, he knew very little about her.
Now was the perfect chance to learn more.
“Heh heh.”
Unexpectedly, after hearing Gauss’s question, self‑proclaimed Vice President Lawrence scratched his head awkwardly.
“Ms. Andini founded the association too long ago. All we know is that she was a kind woman, and it’s said that the last time she appeared at the association, she was already a Black‑Iron rank adventurer.”
Oh?
Gauss caught the term “Black‑Iron rank” and felt a hint of surprise.
Bronze, Black‑Iron, Silver, Gold, Platinum—these were the Adventurer’s Guild’s rankings.
Don’t be fooled by Black‑Iron only being the second tier—it might seem unimpressive at first glance.
But Gauss, having worked as a low‑level adventurer for some time, had already looked into the ranks he was destined to reach.
In theory, the highest‑ranked adventurers traveling to and from Graystone Town were Bronze‑rank, because higher‑level quests never fell into the hands of the local Adventurer’s Guild.
Even in a city like Barry, a Black‑Iron adventurer was considered a prominent figure—capable of handling town‑level crises.
Thinking back to a few days ago, when he saw Andini lying in her chair, drooling in her sleep like a shut‑in slob, Gauss couldn’t help but twitch his lips.
He suspected that Lawrence might be exaggerating Andini’s rank just to glorify their association.
Originally, Gauss had guessed Andini was probably just a Bronze‑rank adventurer.
Putting aside his doubts about Andini’s true strength for now, Gauss moved on to the real purpose of his visit.
The Spellcaster‑Apprentice Mutual Aid Association—if its role matched its name, its purpose was easy to understand.
After talking with Lawrence for a while, he realized it wasn’t far off from what he expected.
The mutual aid association was just what it sounded like: a place where spellcaster apprentices helped each other.
There was no money involved—only labor exchanged.
The most common activities included helping each other train in skills or simulate real combat.
“But if you want to officially join, you’ll need five referral letters from regular members or one formal recommendation letter.
Are you aware of that?” Lawrence asked.
Gauss thought for a moment.
Naturally, he didn’t have five regular referral letters, but it seemed that Andini had once given him an envelope.
He had opened it before.
It was completely empty, except for a single piece of paper with a golden seal.
“Is it this one?”
He handed over the letter cautiously.
Lawrence took it, and a strange glint passed through his eyes.
The magical aura on it felt very familiar.
He had sensed a similar magical residue on the third floor—the trace left by Ms. Andini.
This kind of magical aura couldn’t be forged.
Thinking of how Gauss had earlier asked about Ms. Andini, Lawrence now looked at him with a peculiar gaze.
Though inwardly full of doubt, since Gauss possessed a formal letter of recommendation, it meant he was someone to be trusted—an insider.
All Lawrence could do now was help Gauss complete his membership.
A few minutes later, Gauss received his own member badge and explained the purpose of his visit.