As I once again entered the main staircase on my way to the fifth floor, I immediately noticed it was much livelier than yesterday, with dozens of novices hurrying up and down.

To be extra safe, I kept my sight firmly bolted to the marble steps before me, not daring to try my luck by staring into the dark abyss above.

I also tried to stay out of the way of the speeding students, sticking to the outer wall to avoid being knocked down while contemplating all the information I had managed to gather so far.

The complete lack of any sort of guidance from the Masters was quite vexing, to say the least, but it quickly became clear to me that this was probably yet another test to see how we would fare without it.

We could do seemingly whatever we liked in our spare time. However, I saw enough of this world to realize that this was most likely a trap designed to lull us into a false sense of ease.

'I guess they want to see who among the first-years is diligent enough to warrant additional resources and who is here just to make up the numbers...' I reasoned.

I wholeheartedly wanted to belong to the first group, so I certainly wouldn't indulge in "idle indolence," as Master Ayleth put it.

'That old mage also said there will be regular Trials and competitions throughout the year to ascertain our progress...' I thought, trying to remember his exact words from the speech he gave us at the end of the Acceptance ceremony.

So far, I haven't heard any rumors of an upcoming test, but that alone wasn't any reason to lower my guard and get complacent. 'I have to keep up my game and be ready for any opportunity to increase my rank...'

I didn't care about the fame or prestige. However, I've heard that being a top ranker had multiple tangible benefits, and I was very much interested in those.

Apparently, as you increased your rank, you not only got access to better accommodations but also private supplementary lessons with the Masters and a hefty monthly stipend of soul coins to go along with it, each of which was more than worth a bit of extra effort on my part.

I smiled as I passed the turn to the first-year dormitories, continuing up and up while listening to the chatter of the passing students.

After almost two full days here, I was already starting to paint a clearer picture of the Tower's layout and all the floors we, as novices, had access to.

The first floor was the most decorative and majestic one, intended as the point of contact with the outside world and served mainly as the venue where the new students were admitted.

It was also the place where the administrative staff and the various offices were located alongside a few large auditoriums, where some of the early joint lessons took place.

But I've heard that as the students began advancing their paths and specializing, they would likewise move up to the more adept lecture rooms on the higher floors.

I was already quite familiar with the second floor, where the first-year dormitories were located. The third and fourth floors filled a very similar role—that is, they were the dormitories for the second—and third-year novices, respectively.

Finally, the fifth floor, where I was now headed, was supposed to be the common space where all the years could meet and mingle.

There were apparently all kinds of shops and food options run by either the Tower's staff or the older students themselves as a way to earn some extra soul coins.

I still didn't know much about the five remaining floors between the fifth and tenth, but I've already managed to glean a few interesting snippets of information.

For example, thanks to Master Ayleth, I now knew that the Great Library was located on the tenth floor, with the remaining four most likely containing all the different departments and facilities for the more advanced courses.

As to what was lying beyond the tenth floor, that was still shrouded in complete mystery for now and will likely remain so until I manage to pass the advancement Trial and become a true Apprentice.

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But there was no point in thinking about it right now, as it would take a long, long time, and I had much more urgent things to worry about.

'Speaking of which...' While deep in thought, I almost missed the landing leading to the fifth floor. However, the large crowd there quickly brought me back to my senses.

I blinked, unsure what was going on, but I quickly got my answer as a loud voice broke the sudden silence. "You scoundrel! I dare you to say that again!"

I came to an abrupt stop, noticing two distinct figures behind the wall of bodies who appeared to be intensely arguing about something, one of them being vaguely familiar.

'Ah! I see...' I thought briefly before swiftly leaving the scene, not wanting to be part of any sort of drama or whatever that was. 'I wonder what sort of food the mages eat...' I mused with excitement, skipping past the gathered crowd.

Yet, as I was hurrying through the massive entrance leading to the fifth floor, I almost bumped into a broadly smiling Gil. "Darian! There you are... I was about to go looking for you. You won't believe what I just found!"

'Huh?' I paused, tilting my head in confusion. 'Since when has he become this friendly?' I wondered, but before I could ask him about what was going on, he had already grabbed my arm and begun shoving his way through the passing crowd.

I had no idea what he was up to, but since I actually wanted to speak with him, I decided to go along with it for now, and I let him drag me across the massive cavern, which was the fifth floor.

It turned out that the fifth floor was just one large open space spanning the entire Tower's floor. It felt somewhat similar to the massive entrance hall, though it was much more extensive and less decorated.

I was also immediately struck by the stark contrast to the austere lower levels. The vast open space bustled with activity, and the plethora of buildings and stalls formed actual streets lined with many colorful storefronts.

The shops, which were full of students at this time of day, appeared to offer a wide variety of goods. Whether it be books, potions, or even artifacts, they seemed to have it all.

We slowly wove through the crowds while I was taking in the various sights and sounds. 'It seems like they have an even bigger selection here than in the city's own market. It's no wonder I never saw any mages down there...'

However, I quickly noticed that despite the many shops all vying for attention, it was the eateries that drew the largest crowds.

The various enticing aromas wafting through the air made my stomach growl, and I scowled at Gil, who was still dragging me somewhere with purposeful steps. 'This better be worth it, or I'm never speaking with him again,' I grumbled inwardly.

But before I grew too impatient from the constant walking, we finally came to a stop in a less frequented side alley some distance away from the main road that cut through the middle of the spacious floor.

"We're here!" Gil exclaimed, pointing at an unassuming building some distance away.

I curiously looked ahead, focusing on the well-decorated sign hanging above the entrance. 'It's a tavern?'

Indeed, as we entered the dimly lit interior of the building, it turned out to be a cozy little tavern—and, from its appearance, one of the more expensive-looking ones.

Its luxurious furnishings were bathed in soft candlelight, and I could hear a quiet murmur of conversation all over the place.

To my surprise, the dining hall was almost full despite its quite secluded location. However, it seemed that it was mostly popular with the older students, as I couldn't see any first-years except for us.

"So what do you think?" Gil grinned, looking at me expectantly as he led me toward one of the last free tables in the back.

'Didn't he say he had no money?' I briefly wondered, but then I shrugged my shoulders and simply said, "Well, it's a tavern..."

"Yea... but it's not just any tavern. Look over there... See? They have fresh Abyssmorph eggs!"

"Abyssmorph eggs?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Wait... you never had them before?" Gil briefly widened his eyes but then quickly recovered his composure and explained. "It's sort of a local delicacy, but it's pretty difficult to get your hands on them—especially the fresh ones."

"Hmm, wouldn't that be quite expensive, then?"

"Don't worry! It's on me today; you can eat as much as you want!"

I nodded absentmindedly as we sat down and waited for the attendant to take our orders. Typically, you would order at the bar, but this seemed to be one of the fancier places with actual service.

So, while we waited, I turned toward the still-smiling Gil and said. "So why don't you tell me the real reason why you were looking for me?"

"Huh?" He blinked, looking confused.

Thus, I returned him a smile of my own, pointing around. "Although this is undoubtedly an interesting place, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't drag me all over the place just for some fresh eggs."

He tried to play it cool, acting like he didn't know what I was on about, but under my unrelenting gaze, his face soon crumpled, and he sighed. "Ah! You're as keen as always..."

However, his signature grin quickly returned to his face as he began excitedly, "Well, you see... I managed to find a perfect little task in the Assignment Hall, but it's a two-man job, and I couldn't think of anyone more competent than you to help me with it!"