The Curiosity of a Young Noble

Magical scrolls were pre-recorded spells on parchment that Wizards could use to instantly trigger stored magic during combat. However, magical scrolls were precious and consumable. Moreover, the higher the spell level, the harder it was to create a scroll. Currently, commonly seen magical scrolls contained only low-level spells. Those with mid-level spells were rare treasures, and high-level spell scrolls were nearly unheard of.

Freyr's fascination with the gray-robed Wizard stemmed from his peculiar spellcasting method. The Wizard had cast spells without any incantations, suggesting the legendary "instant casting." Although he had only instant-cast the simplest Fireball spell, the speed of magic use in battle could significantly impact the outcome. Therefore, "instant casting" was a coveted skill for any Wizard, one they would go to great lengths to achieve.

Freyr didn't believe that the gray-robed Wizard had truly mastered instant casting. He suspected the Wizard had found a method or an alternative that mimicked the technique. Otherwise, he wouldn't have ended up captured. This hinted at a hidden secret, and Freyr was determined to uncover it.

When confronted with Freyr's question, the Wizard averted his gaze and remained silent, his face troubled. Freyr didn't expect the Wizard to cooperate immediately. With only the two of them present, he had plenty of time to wait.

Casually, Freyr examined the spoils taken from the Wizard. He discarded the gray robe into the fireplace with disdain after removing the silver leaf emblem. The emblem, symbolizing magical society certification, had a unique property: it was theft-proof and loss-proof. Only the certified Wizard could wear it, and if separated from its owner for too long, it would melt, making counterfeits impossible. Thus, it was useless to Freyr, though the Wizard watched with a pained expression as Freyr tossed it into the fire.

"See, I have no malicious intent," Freyr said, a devilish smile on his youthful face. "I'm just a boy fascinated by magic. If you answer a few of my questions, I'll let you go."

The Wizard remained silent. Freyr continued inspecting the loot.

A small pouch contained several gemstones of varying quality, valuable to ordinary people but mere tools for storing magical power to a Wizard. Freyr pocketed them without hesitation.

He also found two pieces of parchment inscribed with low-level spells. Freyr's eyes lit up at the sight.

Though he had read many books on magical theory, strict regulations in the Wizarding world meant no real spells were ever recorded in books. Theoretical knowledge was accessible, but not the actual incantations, not even the most basic ones. This meant anyone could study magic, but no one could learn to cast spells merely by reading.

Take Freyr, for example. He now possesses considerable knowledge of the magical world, but he doesn't know a single spell. This fact upholds an ancient tradition in the realm of Wizards: without the personal guidance of an elder Wizard, no one can become a Wizard.

"What is this?" Freyr looked at the several transparent bottles on the table, each containing powders of various colors. He dared not open these bottles lightly—who knew what kind of dangers they might hold!

"It seems my guess was correct." Freyr sat up straight, a smile on his face as he looked at his captive. "Your instant-cast technique must be some kind of opportunistic workaround... isn't that right? Now, I'll give you two choices: either you obediently explain it to satisfy my curiosity, and I'll let you go. Or... you'll have to suffer a bit."

The Wizard tried to reason with him: "You are a noble! Don't you think it's beneath your dignity to treat a Wizard this way?"

Freyr said nothing. Noble? So what?

In fact, Freyr had no regard for his noble status. He lacked the innate pride that other nobles possessed. To him, being born into nobility simply meant he didn't have to worry about making a living—being born well was indeed a skill.

Without any pressure to survive, he seemed to lack life goals. He didn't need to attend school, take exams, or work in the future. So, what was the meaning of his existence in this world? Currently, the only thing that piqued his interest was the 'magic' he had never encountered in his previous life.

As for everything else... Freyr couldn't care less!

To satisfy his curiosity about magic, he would capture these strangers. Was this behavior legal? Moral? Freyr cared even less! It seemed this was another advantage his noble status afforded him.

The Wizard's resistance was stronger than expected, but Freyr had a way to handle him.

"Keep an eye on him and don't let him escape. He's a Wizard; just make sure he doesn't regain his magic. A Wizard without magic is even less than an ordinary person."

Freyr instructed the two knights in charge of guarding the captive, "Remember, if he zones out or sleeps, splash him with cold water! Ensure he has no time to rest or meditate, and keep him in the most alert state possible."

Magic is essentially mental power! When mental power is exhausted, the most common way to recover is through sleep! Wizards can also recover through meditation. As long as he's not allowed to replenish his mental power, a Wizard is just a weak ordinary person.

Freyr then returned to his room. However, as he reached the door, he encountered his loyal servant Focker and two other guards with ambiguous expressions on their faces.

"What's going on?" Freyr asked with a gentle smile.

"Master, everything is ready. Do you want to... go in now?" one of the guards asked with a fawning smile.

Freyr didn't understand what they meant and waved them off as he walked into his room. Behind him, his servant immediately closed the door from the outside.

This cheap tavern certainly didn't have any luxurious suites, but this was the best room available here. At least it was relatively clean.

As soon as he entered, he understood the meaning of their ambiguous smiles.

Inside the room, a beautiful young woman was tied to a chair, her hands and feet bound with rawhide. How considerate.

Seeing the young rascal approaching step by step, Calista was genuinely frightened for the first time!