This palace—that is, this castle—is magnificent in scale, not only consisting of a cluster of ornate castles of varying heights, each topped with a small pointed spire, but also boasting wide and long corridors that are inlaid with priceless jewels.
Yu Ling sat on Pai Liu's shoulder, glancing at the castle and then at the people. The person beneath her seemed even more like a noble prince than the protagonist. Had the heavens of this world truly chosen the wrong person?
"My Lord Wizard, is this your first time visiting the Kingdom of Lenko?" At this moment, the guard who was leading the way for Payi turned around quietly, discreetly, and without drawing attention, and asked with great doubt in his eyes.
"Yes, what's wrong?" Payi Liu didn't know what was so interesting about that question, but she couldn't very well not answer.
The guard gave him an "I knew it" look and said nothing more, only that he would know everything after the contract was signed.
"Wait, sir guard, were you once a wizard?"
While the two were talking, Yu Ling jumped into the guard's hands... He had originally intended to jump onto the guard's shoulder, but the guard caught him with lightning speed.
"Hey! Payu, this cursed doll you made is absolutely adorable! It even talks like a real person!"
Yu Ling thought to herself: "Are you being polite?" Then she flicked her tail and slapped it into the guard's hand, frantically signaling her presence.
"Although I don't know how you figured it out, I was indeed a wizard."
Seeing the incredibly cute little mermaid doll bouncing around in his hands, the guard earnestly raised his hand to answer. He seemed quite nonchalant about such things, making it sound incredibly easy for him.
"Most people in the Kingdom of Lenko have studied the basics of wizardry and are at least wizard apprentices. However, as everyone knows, not everyone has magical talent, and I stopped there and will not continue my studies."
Payi nodded in deep agreement; it was indeed true.
Wizarding resources are scarce for several reasons. First, talent is extremely rare. Second, magical resources are limited and cannot supply a large number of wizarding apprentices. Third, most of a wizard's skills are unique and cannot be copied, and each wizard has their own area of expertise.
For example, ninety percent of wizards cannot learn the old wizard's spatial magic, not because they are not smart enough, but because their bodies are naturally incompatible with the elements of space.
But Yu Ling wasn't going to let the other party off the hook, and asked again, "Since being a wizard is so difficult, why does your king waste so much time and energy having so many people study magic?"
The guards seemed to be hearing this question for the first time. They began to think as they led the way, then turned around while carrying Yu Ling. Pai Liu's shoulders were empty. Just as he was about to snatch Yu Ling back, he saw the indifferent back of the person in front of him.
Suddenly I feel abandoned...
"Perhaps His Majesty wants to make the most of every talented wizard, making the Kingdom of Lenko more magical and improving the lives of its people?"
After racking his brains for a long time, the guard finally found a very obvious advantage.
But... given this advantage alone, wouldn't it be better and faster to focus on training a powerful wizard?
However, neither Payu nor the guards expected Yu Ling's somewhat "selfish" thoughts. King Lunke's image as a great man was deeply ingrained in people's minds. Who would have thought that this benevolent king would do something absurd?
Yu Ling stopped asking questions, nestled in the guard's hand, resting his chin on his hand and gazing ahead. Even if he raised an objection, he would probably only be seen as—ah! The king is willing to waste some resources for the sake of the people, what a good person he is!
After passing through a series of corridors, the two entered a castle of moderate size, went up to the third floor, and finally stopped at a huge, ancient door that was two meters high.
Apart from this room, the surrounding area consists of several small, empty cubicles without doors, displaying famous ancient paintings, exquisite sculptures, and so on. It doesn't resemble a residence; it's more like a slightly smaller museum.
Upon opening the door, a spacious hall comes into view. In front of the sofa, a strange fragrance burns from the magical fireplace. However, after inhaling it, one only feels a clear mind, which greatly assists the wizard in drawing magical circuits.
The guards led Payu through the hall, ignoring the rooms with signs such as the bedroom, kitchen, dining room, indoor swimming pool, and magic meditation room, and arrived at the study filled with various wizarding books.
The most eye-catching thing in the study is the exquisitely carved wooden table, on which sits a magic quill pen and a blank piece of parchment.
"You may use all the rooms in this house, as well as all the items within them, at will. Your status is equal to that of other members of the wizarding order, and you have the right to command the castle guards and maids."
Upon entering the study, the guard seemed much more serious and solemn. After saying the first sentence, he then carefully took out the parchment with both hands, placed it in front of Payiru, and respectfully said,
"This is the employment contract. After you drip your blood into it, use the magical elements in your body to infuse it into the magic pen, and then sign your name."
The general procedure for all magical contracts is the same, except that it's a bit strange that there are no words on the contract, but the king doesn't seem like the type to cheat people... so Pailu did as the guards said.
Even the wizard's blood was imbued with magic; it vanished without a trace when dripped onto parchment, and the entire sheet of paper became transparent after the wizard signed it.
Almost instantly after the contract was completed, Payu fainted and collapsed heavily to the ground.
Unlike the guards who only knew that this matter was unusual but did not know why, Yu Ling clearly sensed that in addition to the power of a contract, there was also a strange curse of some kind that she could not describe on the parchment.
"This is a normal phenomenon. Every resident member of the wizarding order goes through this, and there don't seem to be any aftereffects."
The guard was still holding the jade pendant. Since the owner of the cursed doll was unconscious, and he wasn't in a hurry to return, he felt much more relaxed chatting with the adorable doll.
“Little mermaid, although I know very well that you are a magical creation, I don’t know why, but I always unconsciously feel a fondness for you. Are you interested in changing your master? Maybe I can ask Pai Liu if she sells dolls.”
Yu Ling didn't care who she followed, but that guy Pai Liu probably wouldn't have the guts to sell her out, right? Even if the merfolk were all driven mad by the protagonist, she was still a merfolk king after all.
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