After leaving the Adventurer's Guild, I headed straight toward the Mage's Guild.
It wasn't far at all—only about a block away.
Even from the outside, it already gave off a different feeling compared to the Adventurer's Guild. The building was just as large, but the atmosphere around it felt quieter. More refined. Less noisy.
A large sign stood above the entrance.
Mage's Guild – Roste Branch
"So this is it," I muttered.
"You have shown interest in magic since your arrival," Travy said.
"Yeah," I replied as I looked up at the building. "And after what happened in the forest earlier… I can feel it even more."
Without thinking, I brushed my fingers over the arm that had been bitten by the Forest Wolf.
The wound was gone thanks to healing, but the memory of it still felt fresh.
"If I want to survive in this world," I said quietly, "then I need to get stronger in a way that actually suits me."
"And your natural affinity appears to favor analytical spell usage," Travy replied.
I gave a small smile.
"That's a very fancy way of saying I improvise."
"Your improvisation has produced effective results so far."
That made me chuckle.
"Thanks, partner."
With that, I stepped inside.
The moment I entered, a gentle warmth welcomed me.
Unlike the Adventurer's Guild, which was always filled with loud voices and rough energy, the Mage's Guild felt calmer. There were fewer people inside, but nearly all of them stood out in their own way. Some wore robes. Some carried staves. Others had books tucked under their arms like they were afraid to let them go.
The air smelled faintly of parchment, polished wood, and something else I was slowly starting to recognize.
Mana.
"This place really does feel different," I whispered.
"That is a reasonable observation."
A receptionist behind the front desk noticed me and gave me a friendly smile.
She had long black hair and a warm, approachable face. The kind that made the place feel less intimidating.
"Hello," she said. "It's my first time seeing you here. Are you here to register?"
"Yes," I said as I walked up to the counter. "What are the requirements?"
"It's very simple," she replied pleasantly.
She handed me a form.
"Please fill in your basic information first. Your name, age, and occupation."
I looked down at the paper.
"Occupation…" I muttered.
Then I looked back up.
"Does adventurer count as a job?"
She gave a small nod.
"Yes, it absolutely does."
"Well, that makes things easy."
I quickly wrote down the necessary details and handed the form back to her.
After reading it over, she smiled again.
"Thank you. The next step is measuring your mana quality. Is that alright?"
"Yes, that's fine."
As she stepped away to prepare whatever tool she needed, I spoke quietly in my mind.
"Mana quality… is that basically my Intelligence stat?"
"Yes," Travy answered immediately. "In this world, it is commonly referred to as mana quality or magical power."
"So they're checking my raw magic potential."
"That is correct."
A moment later, the receptionist returned carrying a much larger crystal device.
It was different from the small clear sphere used at the Adventurer's Guild. This one was a translucent globe mounted on a metal stand. It looked more complex, more expensive… and definitely more magical.
"Please place your hand on the sphere," she said. "The color and intensity of the light will indicate your mana quality."
I nodded and placed my hand gently against the crystal.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the sphere let out a soft blue glow.
The receptionist's eyes widened just a little.
"Oh?"
I blinked.
"Is that… good?"
She looked at me again, this time with a more impressed expression.
"Yes. Your mana quality is comparable to that of an E-rank mage."
I kept my face calm, but inside, I was definitely surprised.
E-rank already?
That was higher than I expected.
"However," she continued, "mana quality alone does not determine your practical rank."
"That makes sense," I said.
If raw stats alone decided everything, then the world would be a lot simpler than it looked.
She tilted her head slightly.
"How adept are you in actual spellcasting, sir?"
I thought about it for a second.
There was no point in pretending.
"I'm still in the process of learning."
That answer seemed to satisfy her.
The crystal glowed again, and this time, I watched as a small plate-like license slowly formed within the device itself.
My eyes widened slightly.
"So it makes the license too…"
"Yes," Travy said. "It is likely both a measuring and registration magic tool."
That honestly made the whole process even cooler.
The receptionist took the newly formed license and handed it to me.
"It seems the sphere has judged you as eligible for F-rank registration."
She smiled.
"Congratulations. You are now a certified mage."
I took the license and looked it over for a moment before nodding.
"Thank you."
Then she placed a hand lightly against her chest.
"My name is Rian."
So this was Rian.
I gave her a polite nod.
"I'll be in your care from now on, Miss Rian."
Her smile softened a little more.
"And I'll do my best to assist you, Sir Artorius."
First impression?
Friendly. Calm. Easy to talk to.
That was already a relief.
After the registration was complete, Rian began explaining the Mage's Guild's rules and services.
Right away, I could tell this place was very different from the Adventurer's Guild.
The Adventurer's Guild felt like a place built around action.
The Mage's Guild felt like a place built around study, skill, and specialization.
The first thing she explained was the library.
"There are multiple sections based on rank," Rian said. "You may read books up to one rank above your current guild rank."
I nodded slowly.
"So since I'm F-rank…"
"You may access up to the E-rank section."
"That's actually pretty generous."
Rian gave a small smile.
"The guild values growth, as long as it is done responsibly."
That alone already made me like this place.
A lot.
Next, she explained that the Mage's Guild also accepted requests, but the nature of those requests was different.
The Adventurer's Guild focused on public safety, monster subjugation, and gathering resources people needed in daily life.
The Mage's Guild, on the other hand, handled requests tied more closely to magical research, rare materials, monster studies, and tasks that specifically needed a mage's knowledge.
"That actually sounds perfect for me," I said.
"You do enjoy learning and experimentation," Travy commented.
"Exactly."
Rian then moved on to certifications.
According to her, they were essentially magical specialties a mage could earn by proving their knowledge and ability.
The interesting part was that I wasn't limited to just one.
A mage could gain multiple certifications if they met the requirements.
That immediately made me think of something familiar.
"Like class specializations in RPGs…" I murmured.
"An understandable comparison," Travy said.
My eyes lit up a little.
"So I'm not locked into a single path?"
"Not at all," Rian replied. "If you're willing to study and pass the requirements, you may earn as many certifications as you qualify for."
That was honestly way better than I expected.
"That's… actually amazing."
And for someone like me—someone with both modern knowledge and a cheat-like learning setup between two worlds—that system sounded incredibly useful.
The next thing she explained was rank promotion.
Unlike the Adventurer's Guild, where promotion seemed more tied to points and completed requests, the Mage's Guild had two main evaluations.
First, they measured mana quality and mana capacity.
Second, the applicant had to take part in a mock battle with an instructor.
"If you pass both," Rian said, "you are promoted."
I nodded.
"So they test both raw talent and actual combat ability."
"Correct."
"That's a very balanced system."
It made sense.
A mage with huge magical power but no control would be dangerous.
A mage with good control but poor capacity would hit their limit too quickly.
Rian seemed pleased that I understood so quickly.
Finally, she explained that the Mage's Guild also had inactivity rules, though they were more relaxed than the Adventurer's Guild.
For an F-rank mage, going too long without taking requests could still lead to suspension, but the time limit was longer.
Around a month.
"That's more forgiving than the Adventurer's Guild," I said.
"It is," Rian replied. "But we still encourage members to remain active."
That was fair enough.
Then she finished with one final warning.
"And of course, causing trouble can lead to suspension… or even permanent revocation of your license."
I gave her a dry smile.
"I'll try not to become a magical menace."
Rian let out a soft laugh.
"I would appreciate that."
That small laugh made her feel even more real somehow.
Not just a receptionist.
A person.
Someone who probably dealt with more strange mages than she wanted to admit.
Then she folded her hands neatly in front of her.
"That's everything. Do you have any questions?"
I answered almost immediately.
"Yes. Could you show me where the library is?"
For just a second, Rian looked like she had expected that exact question.
A slightly amused smile appeared on her face.
"Of course."
She pointed toward a hallway on the right side of the building.
"The library rooms are divided by rank. Each door is marked from G-rank to S-rank. To enter, place your guild license on the magic tool beside the handle. If your rank isn't high enough, the door won't open."
"Understood."
That sounded simple enough.
Then she gave me one last warm smile.
"Enjoy your reading, Sir Artorius."
I nodded and held up my new license slightly.
"Thank you very much."
And just like that, I had officially taken my first step into the world of mages.
Not with a flashy spell.
Not with a dramatic battle.
But with a card in my hand, a new guild at my back, and a library waiting ahead of me.
Honestly?
That was more than enough for me.