‘This place is a bit crowded. I guess this is as far as second-hand connections can get me.’

Roland pondered as he leaned back against the uncomfortable bench in the large room reserved for hired adventurers and guards on the middle deck of the airship. Despite being allowed to keep their weapons, the bodyguards couldn't leave the area. After arriving at the ship, the main guards instructed him to wait there, considering him nothing more than backup and not presentable on the upper decks.

The airship, quite large, even boasted a ballroom where music played, attracting nobles who mingled with influential merchants. It was a place for the rich and powerful. Roland couldn't complain, though, as he was getting a free ride to the Institute. Others in the room appeared to be resting, seemingly unconcerned as the airship of this caliber was considered relatively safe.

‘Something is blocking my signal. I won't be able to call Elodia until we arrive at the destination.’

As Roland's mind drifted back to the home he already missed, he couldn't deny that he had changed since arriving in Albrook. Initially, survival and peace were his sole concerns, but now he found himself worrying about others. During his absence, he hoped that nothing unexpected would happen. Elodia had taken on the role of the new leader in his absence, but there was still the unpredictable Alchemist to contend with. Despite having a conversation with him, Roland could only hope that the Gnome wouldn't cause any disasters in his absence.

‘I’ve been through a lot in these eleven years or so… or has it been twelve now?’

With not much to do, Roland found himself trapped in his own thoughts, a rare occurrence for him. Usually preoccupied with various tasks, he seldom dwelled on the past or pondered the nature of the world he found himself in. Even to this day, he had no idea how he ended up here or why. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, he was beginning to feel a sense of belonging. As events unfolded in Albrook, Roland realized that he was not alone and that life in this world was not as undesirable as he once thought.

Roland had a challenging start, marked by his ostracization from his family. In those difficult years, books and the dream of becoming a wizard were his solace. However, that dream was shattered during his first ascension trial when he discovered his lack of elemental affinities. To this day, he remained uncertain about the reasons behind this anomaly. Various theories crossed his mind, such as his body being special or his mind replacing the original Roland's. He even questioned if he was the same person from Earth, contemplating whether his memories were merely copied over or if he existed within a vast dream while lying in a hospital bed.

‘I should probably stop thinking about theories like that, this world is too real to be an illusion or a dying man’s dream. What I need to focus on, is the right research papers, if I’m not careful, it could take a lot longer that it should.’

Though Roland had never attended a formal magical academy, he delved into research papers produced by magicians. It was a challenging experience, as magicians often approached their work with chaos and lacked standardized note-taking. Each individual had their own cryptic methods, making it difficult to decipher their papers. Decoding the essence of the research consumed more than half of the task, and Roland found himself in danger of losing months in the pursuit of knowledge within the labyrinthine libraries of magical academia.

“Hey watch it, do you know how much this robe cost?”

“I… I’m sorry…”

“You’re sorry? I don’t think that’s good enough, you even got it dirty.”

As he was thinking about a quick way to get all his research done, he overheard a commotion. A group of three adventurers were smirking and cackling while looking at a somewhat ordinary-looking girl. Her ears gave her away for someone from the rabbit race and her clothes were certainly common. At a glance, she looked like one of the porters that was coming on the trip with them. Just like some of the adventurers they were forced into a different section of this airship.

“I didn’t…”

“You didn’t what? Look here girly, these things are expensive, look at this hole, you tore right through it, and now the enchantment won’t work! But I’m a generous man. I’ll let you off, if you pay for the damages you caused?”

“B-but you’re the one that bumped into me…”

“Hah? Are you talking back? My friend has been nothing but nice, but you’re trying to run after tarnishing his one and only magical robe?”

Roland attempted to disregard the disturbance and concentrate on his research, but the loud shouts of the adventurers made it challenging to ignore. It appeared that the group had set their sights on the girl. Roland had observed them earlier, recognizing specific emblems on their clothing signifying their affiliation with a mercenary group. These symbols suggested that they were likely hired by another merchant. The Adventurers' Guild was not the sole entity that enlisted the services of adventurers; smaller mercenary groups were also engaged for larger security needs.

While these mercenary groups might be smaller and less powerful than the Adventurers' Guild, they possessed distinct advantages. Their strength lay in their ability to assemble a larger force, and they were often engaged for temporary army-like roles. During disputes between nobles, these groups were sometimes enlisted to reinforce their forces. However, a significant drawback was their hiring process, or rather the lack of rigorous evaluations. As long as individuals weren't wanted criminals and possessed a battle class, they were deemed fit for employment. Even the first part was sometimes overlooked, which explained their behavior here. The girl was a porter and their section was below this area.

The porter's only way out was passing through the large cabin where the adventurers and mercenaries were resting. Physical strength was not a prerequisite for those tasked with carrying luggage; possessing sufficient funds to acquire a spatial bag and weight-reducing items sufficed. Even an ordinary-looking girl could suffice for the task as long as she could maintain the required pace.

It appeared that she had just completed a task within the airship. Often, individuals in such roles were assigned various forms of manual labor. Bernir, who had experience in this profession, had shared some tales. Tasks included preparing food for the group and even washing their soiled undergarments during the journey. Mistakes could lead to the threat of physical violence, making it a challenging and demanding profession. Those in such roles could only hope to be part of a reasonable adventurer group, but many times it was the only way of earning money.

‘It’s not like they can unionize…’

Despite his initial reluctance, Roland found himself unable to ignore the escalating situation. His former self would typically have avoided such matters, as there was often no compelling reason to intervene in others' affairs. While he still held the same perspective, he acknowledged that taking action occasionally led to unforeseen rewards. In this particular case, intervening could halt the entire nonsensical episode, and Roland was also unwilling to witness the trio assaulting someone when he had the capacity to prevent it.

No one from the three there posed much of a threat and the other tier 3 class holders that were watching, weren’t much better. They all were around the strength of the platinum party that he defeated in the dungeon. Now that his level had gone up, he felt even more comfortable.

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“I didn’t do anything…”

“Hey, where do you think you are going? If you don’t have the coin, you can pay in different ways…”

The purported leader of the group, a robust man with a scar across his face, advanced threateningly toward her. His lips emitted an obscene sound as he extended his hand to seize the visibly frightened girl. It was apparent to her what the men were after, and she desperately sought help from the other adventurers within the spacious chamber. Roland observed that there was little interest in assisting her, primarily because half of the individuals present belonged to the same mercenary group and were disinclined to intervene.

An opportunity presented itself for him as the rabbit girl attempted to flee, and her only path led directly toward him. She darted off, displaying impressive speed, likely owing it to her beast race attributes. Unfortunately, she faced adversaries equipped with proficient battle classes, and the limited space offered little room for maneuvering or escape. In her haste, she stumbled over a bump and careened forward.

Roland observed that the trio appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, their faces radiating joy as if on the verge of erupting in laughter. Yet, behind these seemingly gleeful expressions lurked a malevolent undertone. They were individuals intoxicated by power, reveling in the exercise of force over someone defenseless. It was a harsh reality of this world, where the strong dictated the rules, and the existence of distinct classes condemned certain individuals to perpetual subjugation to their whims.

Yet, even in an unjust world like this, some individuals resisted succumbing to such impulses. Not everyone elevated themselves above others solely based on their class or higher level. Roland as a person from a more modern world where things were a tad more equal, exemplified such principles. He also tried to surround himself with like-minded individuals who at least didn’t bully others.

“Huh?...”

“What is that?”

The adventurers who were enjoying tormenting the rabbit girl abruptly halted as a peculiar phenomenon unfolded. The girl, on the verge of falling, came to a sudden stop mid-air and began to float. She flailed her arms and legs in a somewhat comedic fashion before gently floating to the side. The mercenaries swiftly identified the source of the blue light, and Roland made it abundantly clear. He was pointing directly at the girl with his finger, which emitted a magical light, drawing attention away from her and to him.

“I think that's enough.”

His deep voice resonated through the chamber, capturing the attention of everyone present. The trio of adventurers turned to face Roland, their expressions shifting from amusement to bewilderment. The girl, realizing she was no longer the focal point of their attention, descended gracefully to the floor. She stumbled slightly upon landing, still catching her breath from the unexpected turn of events.

“Who the hell are you?”

The scar-faced leader spat out his words, clearly irritated by the interruption. Roland, unfazed, maintained his stoic demeanor and accentuated everything by making his eyes glow. Concealed behind a helmet and hood, he presented a menacing display of power. One thing was certain; most adventurers and mercenaries were unaccustomed to encountering mages. Even now, they were on high alert, as magic users ranked among the most feared individuals. Their strength lay in the unknown, their use of strange items, and hexes.

“Did I not make myself clear? Do you need me to repeat it again?”

In a situation like this, it was always better to take up a stern tone. People like these mercenaries were not ones to restrain themselves and only understood one rule, which was that the person with the bigger first was always right. Even now they were trying to measure his strength and potential backing to see if they should involve themselves further. Roland had no emblems or insignias that would tie him to any faction but the magic he was using was enough. However, to make them understand the difference in power, he needed to show off a bit more.

“Mind your own business, stranger. We're just having a bit of fun.”

“A bit of fun? I see, then how about I have some fun with you instead?”

While he wasn't the sole tier 3 class holder in the room, those not affiliated with this mercenary company wouldn't assist or assail him. Among the ten individuals he needed to watch, only two posed real threats. Realizing the need for quick and decisive action, Roland, without waiting for a response, let his mana surge toward the man.

There were various ways that he could tackle this situation but handling it without producing residual damage to this large cabin was important. If he caused too much of a ruckus he could be even thrown out mid-flight, thus a binding spell would be what he decided to go with. To onlookers, it appeared as a peculiar surge of bluish energy assaulting their comrade, while only Roland perceived the intricate web of shackles within.

The scar-faced man couldn't even draw his weapon before his arms were tightly bound to his body. Despite his size and muscular build, akin to the Albrook Guild Master, he strained in vain to break free. Before long, he found himself floating in mid-air, contorting in a worm-like way. Helpless, he squirmed until he appeared in front of his captor, who presented him with an electrified digit.

Most occupants of the chamber hurriedly distanced themselves as the crackling sound resonated with thunderous intensity. The prevailing consensus was evident - they faced an irate mage exuding an astonishing surge of magical energy. A ball of lightning energy materialized from Roland's finger, expanding menacingly before the scar-faced man's face.

"Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way… I'll give you that choice."

"W-what are you…"

"And you, in the back, don't think I can't see you. Before you notch that arrow, I'll incinerate your friend's face."

The other tier 3 class holder, belonging to the mercenary company, shivered as he was instantly spotted and singled out from the large group. Despite attempting to hide behind his comrades, his opponent discerned his intentions instantly.

“Now, you and your friends can either shut up for the remainder of this trip, or we will have a problem… So, do we have a problem?”

Roland made sure to bring the ball of lightning close to the man’s face, some of the smaller bolts even landed onto his body, electrifying him in the process. The scar-faced man quickly realized that he was over his head and started nodding.

“Y-yes… I mean, W-what about the enchantments…”

“Enchantments? That rag has long lost all of its charges and can’t be used anymore, it's worthless at this point. So, let me ask you again, do we have a problem?”

“No, we don’t…”

“Good, then fuck off.”

Satisfied with the response, Roland dispelled the crackling ball of lightning but still sent the man flying. The scar-faced man collided with the two people harassing the rabbit girl, taking them down with him, and shattering a few wooden boxes along the way. The entire room fell silent, tension lingering in the air. Roland's gaze swept across the other adventurers and mercenaries, his glowing eyes exuding an imposing aura.

It was over and the result was obvious. The once loud men had quieted down and dared not to raise their voices. Even the three perpetrators didn’t dare to speak out, it was clear that they were afraid to lose their heads. Roland took a side glance at everyone in this area with his gaze finally landing on the girl that he rescued. His eyes were still glowing which gave her the jitters and caused him to momentarily drop the tough guy act.

“T-thank you…”

“Mmm.”

He didn't reply and simply nodded, maintaining the facade that his actions were not solely for the girl's sake but for maintaining silence. By portraying himself as an eccentric mage disliking loud noises and excessive chatter, he aimed to ensure everyone here would behave for the remainder of the sky voyage. In a way, he was safeguarding all the other porters below from getting caught in the crossfire, much like the current predicament of the rabbit girl.

The girl continued to bow in gratitude and only departed after Roland waved her off. She swiftly disappeared towards the area where the rest of the porters were stationed, marking the end of that particular incident. Consequently, a very uncomfortable and tension-filled journey commenced for the other adventurers. Roland made it challenging for them to get any sleep, instilling fear that even their snoring might irritate the formidable mage. Some resorted to slapping awake their friends to ensure everyone stayed alert. The air remained thick with unease throughout the trip.

After enduring a day of tension and discomfort, they finally arrived at their destination. Roland felt a tinge of dissatisfaction with how he spent his time on the ship. He couldn't peer through any windows to witness the kingdom from a bird's-eye view, nor could he explore the ship with a craftsman's eye. He yearned to inspect the engine room and acquire magical schematics for future use. Perhaps, then, constructing such a large vessel would become a possibility.

The airship smoothly landed in a bustling city, and the adventurers and guards commenced disembarking. Roland rejoined his temporary entourage near the gangplank. Although his immediate task was coming to an end, his true journey into the institute was just beginning. With purpose, he took a step forward, his mind racing at the possibilities that this journey might bring to elevate his runic magic to the next level.