Chapter 11: Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract

Baron Uer’s pupils contracted sharply.

That wasn’t an Illusion Technique. It was an Elemental Fluctuation—genuine Magic!

The disdain and suspicion in his heart were washed away by sheer astonishment.

Dugan waved his hand again, and the Wind Cicada and Array vanished into thin air.

"An Insect Mage is a branch of the Summoning School," Dugan explained. "My mentor, Professor Mei Li, entrusted me with testing Cyril’s aptitude.

"Cyril has been corresponding with our ’Odd Limb Study Group’ for some time. He’s very interested in insects and hopes to become one of us."

Baron Uer felt a bit dizzy from the sudden onslaught of information.

He only knew that there was an obscure Summoning School among Mages, but he never imagined that school could be further divided into a branch specializing in insects.

What shocked him even more was that his own son—the one who spent all day with his Attendant catching insects in the fields and embarrassing him at balls—actually had the chance to become a noble Mage?

Becoming a powerful Mage was the ultimate glory, an honor that would bring prestige to his ancestors. It was a respected status that even the King would treat with courtesy!

He had originally planned to have a good talk with Cyril this morning, to ask him how he felt about last night’s ball, especially since... he had specifically arranged for Isha to attend, and yet...

’That disgraced whelp... I never should have let him set foot in the ball!’

But on second thought, if his son could truly become a Mage, his status would be entirely different.

At that point, the truly high-born ladies of families like the Fernandezes would perhaps be a more suitable match.

He looked at Dugan and performed a solemn noble’s bow. "My respects to you and your mentor, Mage Dugan. It is Cyril’s honor, and the honor of the Eagle Claw Clan, that he has been given this opportunity by Professor Mei Li."

His gaze returned to his son, and he clapped him on the shoulder. "Cyril, the blood of the Eagle Claw Clan flows through your veins. This bloodline has blessed you with extraordinary Wisdom. I am certain you will pass the test."

...

The crystal Dugan produced flickered in Cyril’s hand, glowing brightly then dimly.

When the light stopped, Dugan took it back and confirmed the reading.

"Your Wisdom Points are 10. I’m sorry, Cyril, but you do not meet the requirements to become a Mage."

Cyril lowered his head, slightly dejected.

Baron Uer, standing to the side, felt utterly foolish for holding out hope. ’How smart could a son who normally refuses to interact with anyone even be?’

He thought for a moment and asked, "Mage Dugan, may I try?"

The light stopped once again.

"Your Wisdom Points are 7."

Baron Uer was clearly in disbelief. "Seven Points? Even lower than Cyril?"

Dugan quickly explained, "My Lord, you may be misunderstanding. According to the Mage Association’s statistics, the average Wisdom Points for an adult human is about 7. A score of 10 is already far above average."

Baron Uer’s eyes widened. He clearly hadn’t expected his son’s Wisdom to be so far above average.

Hope flickered within him once more. "Then... then why doesn’t he meet the requirement?"

"As per the Mage Association’s requirements, the minimum Wisdom Points needed is 11. Reaching that number allows one to attempt learning the most basic Magic."

Baron Uer hadn’t expected him to miss the mark by just one point, which made it feel all the more unfortunate.

"But don’t worry. That was the standard Mage test. Due to the unique nature of Insect Mages, Professor Mei Li specifically instructed me that anyone with 9 Points or more can proceed to the second round of testing."

He took out a box. When he opened it, a cicada was inside.

Then he said to Cyril:

"The key difference between an Insect Mage and other Summoning Mages lies in communication with insects.

"Even after forming a contract, insects are often difficult to command with precision. Therefore, we place more importance on a candidate’s ability to establish a unique method of communication with them."

"I will now establish a communication link between you and this cicada, allowing it to receive your instructions. You will need to try and make the cicada perform a corresponding action."

Cyril nodded, readying himself.

As Dugan recited a Spell, Cyril felt an invisible link form between himself and the cicada before him.

He closed his eyes, focusing all his mental energy on that invisible link.

The cicada’s presence felt like a distant, hazy point of light.

He then tried to issue a command in his mind: ’Move... wings... just move...’

However, the point of light didn’t react at all.

He tried again and again, his attempts shifting from pleading to commanding. A fine sweat beaded on his forehead, but the cicada remained motionless, as if the link were merely his imagination.

Watching his son’s face flush red in a fruitless effort, the last spark of hope in Baron Uer’s eyes died out.

He said in a low voice, "Stop messing around with those insects! I’m going to Horder City for a few days to offer my condolences.

"Before I return, you will complete your Warrior training every single day! When I get back, I’ll drill you properly!"

He paused, intending to add a few more instructions about the town’s affairs...

But then he reconsidered. ’What could possibly happen in this remote little town? And even if something did, it’s not like I could count on this boy to be of any use.’

In the end, he just let out a cold "Hmph" and strode out of the reception hall.

Dugan offered some comfort. "Don’t be disheartened, Cyril. There are many types of insects. I’ll be staying in Print for a short while to collect a few different kinds. We can try the test again then."

...

Hesia walked back, feeling a little helpless.

If the original owner of this body hadn’t insisted on moving from the capital of Holt County to this remote town, perhaps he could have come into contact with more Sub-human Races and had far more opportunities to acquire Points.

Just like with that Dwarf, Dugan. By proactively guiding him and making conversation, he had earned 15 Decryption Points!

A thought crossed his mind.

[You have consumed 20 Points to extract the trait "Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract" from the Hill Dwarf.]

[Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract]: Your digestive system, "forged" by strong liquor and coarse food, is far more resilient than that of other Races. You possess an exceptionally strong resistance to most toxins (especially mineral toxins, alcohol, and spoiled food).

’This is a pretty good trait,’ Hesia thought, quite satisfied.

Besides being very practical, the trait even made him a bit nostalgic—before he transmigrated, he had a similar ability from his love of takeout food.

If he could build up Affinity this quickly, he might be able to extract even more traits.

Even if he couldn’t change his fate immediately, he could use this to register as an Adventurer and then hunt Demons to acquire traits.

Unfortunately...

With the little money he had left, he couldn’t even think about moving elsewhere. Soon, he’d have trouble just covering his basic living expenses.

Fortunately, meeting Thun was an unexpected windfall. High investment meant high returns.

Otherwise, he really wanted to just pack his bags and dive into the wider world to try his luck.

"Hesia? What are you thinking about?"

A clear voice came from behind him as Isha jogged to catch up.

"Isha?" Hesia was a little surprised. "What are you doing here? Is Master Edwin... still angry?"

"He gave me a few days off. I don’t have to train, so I can rest and prepare for our departure."

Her azure eyes were filled with concern. She hesitated for a moment before asking softly, "I... I wanted to ask you, about that Curse William mentioned yesterday... is it true?"