Chapter 87 Complex Relationship?
Upon hearing his boss' question, the robust and rustic-looking man sitting across from Vicente and Rory immediately began to report his group's findings.
"Starting with the blacksmith Landon Fraser. As Lukas Oak informed us, he is a level 4 Acolyte famous in Millfall.
Even though he is only a 2nd-stage blacksmith, he is already a Millfall Blacksmiths Association Council member. He is considered talented or more talented than his master, a 3rd-stage blacksmith.
He currently has openings for new junior blacksmiths. Anyone interested should go to his shop in the town center and pay for the assessment."
Some professionals charged for accepting new students. But even those who didn't charge for accepting new disciples wouldn't waste their time with curious people. So they charged for the examination.
Low-level practitioners did this in their shops, sometimes even in their homes, where they would receive interested young people at any time of the year. But the more powerful and renowned professionals had big events to welcome new disciples, with tests as you would find in a school competition on Earth.
These were attractions that could reveal great talents, connect masters and potential disciples, provide entertainment for ordinary people, and generate large amounts of coins.
A few of these famous events eventually took place even in the Seidel Kingdom, where more than one high-level professional would launch their openings for new juniors.
However, this only worked with more powerful people, and only 2nd and 3rd stage professionals usually did not dare to hold such an event.
Few people would show up, and few super talents would show up at small events, and there was something better on the continent.
Knowing this, Vicente and Rory did not find what the man said strange. They felt that it was pretty normal for them to simply go to this blacksmith's house and undergo a test if they wanted to, of course.
The man continued. "He seems to be an excellent smith, boss. He would certainly make a good teacher. But I wouldn't consider his name forward."
"Why?" Rory asked while drinking something, without a mask on his face, since no one in the area knew his identity, neither Vicente's nor that man's.
He answered. "Because he is a professional who is focused on the path of forging, who occasionally participates in competitions and the like with his students.
He is someone who is rising in the association and will not stand still. He will undoubtedly use his disciples and contacts to grow, bosses."
This was expected. In the magic world, one would use everything at one's disposal to become stronger, gain access to resources, and improve one's political power.
If you could not gain resources or advancement, you would try to gain status, because if you could not be stronger, being more influential was the key to having more power.
The ability to move other magicians was what separated an ordinary person from a powerful one, something that could make a huge difference.
The ranks of magic cultivation did not indicate who lived better in this world. There were certainly common Mages in this vast world who lived better than Paragons!
Depending on one's influence, even much more powerful beings would have to bow down before them.
Such was the case with the King of Seidel, a man who controlled so much power in the state that even men from sects outside the kingdom were wary of him.
Vicente heard this and agreed with his friend's analysis. "Hmm, someone like that won't be good for me. I don't have time to compete."
Hearing this, the black-bearded man said. "Considering that, I do not think the second name, Zane Smith, suits the boss either.
Zane is a blacksmith from a family that focuses on the path of forging. Not only would he not easily accept disciples outside of his family, but he was also expected to participate in various competitions and events with his disciples.
He's a rival of Landon's, so the boss would have pretty much the same problems I already said if you were Zane's disciple." The man said just as River stopped beside them with several plates and drinks.
River smiled subtly but said nothing to the group, acting as if they were just regular customers of his tavern.
Vicente's mercenary group was registered under a false name, and when he registered with the local mercenary guild, this black-haired young man had not revealed his identity to anyone.
At the same time, he had already made a deal and removed his name from the papers of the property where his group was operating.
That was why he and his people dared to come to this place in broad daylight without masks.
Vicente saw River and complimented him. "I see your tavern has improved a lot lately. It looks like those violent guards got results, huh?"
"Hmm, we do it for the good of our patrons."
Vicente said nothing more, soon sampling the fried chicken on his plate before drinking the establishment's famous ale.
After River left them, Rory ordered the Intermediate Apprentice to continue.
"As for Benson King, he is definitely the best name for the boss, not only because he is the only one left, but because of his track record." The fellow said while devouring his food.
"Blacksmith Benson is one of the four local 3rd-stage blacksmiths, but he is the least involved in public events such as competitions.
Even within the association, he is rumored to be a ghost, as he rarely attends the meetings of the Elders Council, of which he has been a member for several decades."
"That sounds interesting," Rory commented as he drank half a mug of ale.
"Yes, and from what my group found out, he's been a recluse forever. He doesn't have a family, doesn't date women, and doesn't leave his house much.
His disciples usually have a lot of freedom, and most leave town when they reach a certain level."
Becoming a disciple of a magician was not an everyday thing. It was not the same as having a teacher in a school, or even hiring a teacher to teach you individually.
Accepting a master was as complex as accepting a woman or man to marry such a person!
One could not casually become someone else's disciple, and even less could one disown one's master or lose one's status as a disciple.
It was difficult to separate from a spouse, but it was complicated to stop being someone's master or disciple.
In this complex relationship, the master had rights similar to those of the disciples' parents and could even restrict certain freedoms of their disciples.
This was not so strong that a disciple was like a slave. But as long as the master's order was not harmful to the disciple, even if the disciple was rebellious and wanted to do something else, he could be prevented or forced to do something else by the mere power of his master's orders!
That's why Vicente valued so much the possibility of having the freedom not to participate in competitions and similar events when he became someone's disciple.
He did not want to waste his time or be forced to expose himself for the sake of his future master's goals in forging!
So, he was naturally interested in the name of someone who did not prevent his own disciples from leaving and pursuing their own affairs.
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