"What? Isaac is clearing out goblins?"
Solomon's Domain, Solomon Fortress, Third Defense Line Barracks.
A young man in full black armor looked in surprise at the Shadow Guard beside him, his brow furrowed.
"Why is my third brother clearing out goblins? Where'd he get the men? Don't tell me Eldest Brother got involved?" the young man asked in confusion.
"No, Young Master Remington. Young Master Isaac took care of it himself, leading his own guards."
"Isaac led them himself?" The young man, who was Isaac's second brother, Remington, paused in surprise. "Isaac is so frail. Would Smith really let him go outside?"
Although Smith was just a butler—and one assigned to a branch family, at that—it didn't mean his status was low. He had served the Solomon Clan since their grandfather's generation, so his position was quite high. Oftentimes, even their father, the current Viscount Solomon, had to listen to his counsel.
In fact, being assigned to Isaac's side was a sign of the family's concern for him. Isaac had been weak and sickly since childhood, unable to even maintain a daily training regimen. So even after starting his own branch of the family, he still needed a reliable person for close protection.
Besides, Smith was only a Knight. He had been injured in his youth, preventing his strength from advancing any further. Now that he was old, it was about time for him to retire.
Therefore, without Smith's permission, Isaac would absolutely never be able to leave the fortress, let alone do something as dangerous as hunting goblins...
Besides, dealing with the goblins was a matter for the domain, something for their Eldest Brother to worry about. It had nothing to do with Isaac. With Smith and the guards protecting him, he was under no threat.
This made him even more curious.
"Young Master Isaac... has become a Wizard," the Shadow Guard said, a hint of surprise in his voice.
Remington froze for a second. "A Legendary Mage?"
The Shadow Guard nodded. It could only be a Legendary Mage; Young Master Isaac had been tested long ago and was found to have no talent for the Arcane Arts.
Remington's brow furrowed deeply. "Could Eldest Brother have arranged this? Tsk."
After thinking for a while with no new ideas, Remington waved his hand. "Forget it. The goblin plan ends here. As for my third brother... be discreet and find out if it was really Eldest Brother who helped him become a Wizard."
"Yes, Young Master," the Shadow Guard replied softly before retreating from the room. He left Remington alone, staring at the sand table before him with a dark, uncertain expression.
...
"What? Isaac has become a Wizard?"
In Solomon Fortress, a middle-aged man in plainclothes looked at the Shadow Guard in surprise. A pained, helpless expression soon followed.
'So it couldn't be prevented in the end...' he sighed. 'Forget it. Since he has become a Wizard, let him be. Transfer a thousand Gold Coins to him from my account. As a Legendary Mage, he'll need to spread his stories. Go ask him what tales he's written, circulate them throughout the domain, and then find someone to follow him. Collect his deeds; they'll be useful later.'
"As you command."
"Wait."
Just as the Shadow Guard was about to turn and leave, the middle-aged man stopped him.
"That Witchcraft Scripture we confiscated... I recall we haven't sold it yet, have we? Notify them not to sell it. Send it directly to him."
"As you command." With a slight nod, the Shadow Guard vanished into the shadows.
The middle-aged man sat back down, looking at the document in his hands with keen interest, a pleased smile gracing his lips.
...
"Hm? My third brother became a Wizard? A Legendary Mage? Tsk, tsk. He's got some nerve."
At the top of the Mage Tower in Solomon Fortress.
A woman in a white robe looked up from the document in her hand, her delicate brow furrowed in surprise. For the Nobility, being a Legendary Mage was not a good career path...
Legendary Mages could easily contact otherworldly Existences. Under Their guidance, it was highly likely they would go mad. And once they went mad, they were capable of anything—they might even do math problems!
History is full of madmen who sacrificed their own domains to otherworldly Evil Gods in exchange for power!
And there are still plenty of them today!
She was worried Isaac would end up like that, but...
she was not the heir to the Solomon Clan, after all, and had no intention of competing with her Eldest Brother. So...
"What was Eldest Brother's response to this?" the woman asked the Shadow Guard.
"The Eldest Young Master has allocated one thousand Gold Coins and one Witchcraft Scripture to the Third Young Master."
"So Eldest Brother is supporting him? Fine. In that case, take this to Isaac. Consider it my congratulatory gift." With that, the woman took a long-prepared Magic Book from her drawer and placed it on the table.
Having said her piece, she went back to studying the object in her hands.
The Shadow Guard took the Magic Book, bowed slightly, and withdrew from the room.
...
Meanwhile, Isaac, in his Cabin in the Woods, had no idea his family already knew what he had done. Not that it mattered. He never expected to keep it a secret for long. 'A man can't just lay low forever, or he'll become a true coward.'
He had only wanted to buy himself more time to develop his strength. The real issue he was wrestling with now was which Wizard Organization to join.
There was virtually no barrier to entry for becoming an affiliate member of a Wizard Organization. You could join whichever one you pleased. After all, there were hardly any benefits; you only got paid when you worked, so they naturally welcomed all comers.
But Isaac couldn't afford to be indiscriminate. First, he needed an organization that would allow him to earn money with his current abilities. For example, there was no point in joining one that required crafting witchcraft tools. What he needed now was money, Knowledge, and resources!
He didn't need practice.
After some deliberation, Isaac narrowed it down to three candidates. The first was Dusk Raven, a Wizard Organization famous for creating Magic Potions and raising Magic Pets. Affiliate member tasks consisted mainly of brewing Low-Level Magic Potions and cultivating potion ingredients. The second was the House of the Black Forest. They specialized in various forms of Black Magic and possessed great combat strength, but their affiliate tasks were all centered on cultivating magical ingredients. They even provided free rituals to alter the environment, guaranteeing a stable harvest.
The last option was the Tower of Flesh. Its specialty was similar to the Witchcraft Isaac currently excelled at, with most members skilled in biological modification. The tasks for affiliate members involved raising various types of Demons, and they also provided rituals to alter the environment.
However, unlike cultivating ingredients, this wasn't a guaranteed source of income. Raising Demons was technically demanding.
Of course, the pay was much better.
From both an economic and developmental standpoint, all three Wizard Organizations were a good fit for Isaac. While he was currently skilled in biological modification Witchcraft, that was only because it was the only type he knew. He hadn't had a choice.
That didn't mean he wasn't interested in other kinds. He wanted to learn everything, from the Witchcraft used to raise Magic Pets to combat-focused Black Magic.
In the end, after a moment's thought, Isaac chose the Tower of Flesh!
'When you're not strong enough, it's best not to try and master everything. I should specialize in one path first and start filling out that skill tree.'
Having made his decision, Isaac took down the notice. He prepared to head to Lake Town to register, and while he was there, he would also purchase some supplies from a list provided by the Tower of Flesh.