"Dad, let's pay for her. I want us to study together!" I took the initiative and asked my father to pay the price. However, they seemed reluctant at my request. Huh? I thought our relationship wasn't this bad. Why would they refuse to pay?

"Eli, before you offer, you need to ask them first. I know you mean well. However, the way you're doing it now makes it seem like you are arrogant. Moreover, although we are a count, we do not have unlimited funds to pay for your selfish demands," my father said. I nodded and then turned to Alicia's father. However, he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, my lord. But, I cannot pay." The soldier gritted his teeth and bowed his head in shame.

"How foolish," Alex scoffed. "Well, in that case, I shall teach Elidranthia alone. I'm sorry, but I cannot possibly lower my price anymore. In fact, I lost a raffle back in the royal mages and had to come here due to the king's decree."

"Hmm? If it's the king's decree, wouldn't he pay you for the trouble? Why did you ask us to pay you?" I asked him out of curiosity. The king wouldn't send anyone to the boonies without any support, right? The fact that he charged us meant that he wanted to line his own pockets.

"The stipend from the kingdom was merely 5 gold coins. I was usually paid 10 to 15 gold back in the capital. If he didn't want to pay, then so be it. He just missed a gold mine due to his short-sightedness. Even the worst dark mage could earn at least 5 gold coins a minimum each month just refilling feystones. The kingdom needs to pay more attention to the importance of mages. We hold this society together. The lamps we use, doctors, construction mages, and even long-distance communication are held by mages." I frowned at his elitist tone, but I knew even in our world that jobs such as doctors and researchers are paid well.

"Sorry, Miss Elidranthia, but my dad is currently in debt. We cannot pay due to the said debt," Alicia said, and she was about to cry. I then glared at my dad while unconsciously releasing my hold on the mana that was pent up inside my body. Everyone jumped back a step when I glared at them. Even my brother unwittingly grabbed his sword on his waist, although he didn't draw it.

When I looked at the exaggerated reactions everyone was having when I glared at them, I realized I had messed up. I quickly withdrew my mana, and their expressions softened.

"Well, since my youngest daughter desires so, how about I lend the 2 gold coins now to Miss Alicia? Then Miss Alicia could work for our house as Miss Elidranthia's lady-in-waiting? I am sure that you will be able to repay the debt by then if working as a mage is so profitable? Her mana level was more than 100% when I saw it in the magic exam ceremony."

"Okay. I accept, my lord." Alicia nodded. Her dad also nodded profusely while thanking us.

"Yes!" I pumped my fist in elation. My dad is the best.

"I thank you, milord." Alicia's father thanked us while bowing his head.

"Oh, good judgment on both of you. Miss Alicia got a connection to nobility, while Count Shadowstep got a good retainer," Alex smirked. Then, he continued with his business smile, "In that case, lessons will begin tomorrow and will last for 2 months. I must repeat that this is important, as people with a magic talent of more than 6 could go out of control. Especially you, Miss Alicia. You would not want to accidentally burn down your house, right? It was a good judgment for you to accept the count's offer."

Both of them then left. Our first magic lesson was tomorrow. Alicia seemed happy too, now that she knew she had a future. Her father rubbed her head as she cheerfully said she would become a respectable mage and was elated at the prospect of getting out of debt sooner. However, my father seemed none too pleased. Why? I knew it was a bit expensive. However, we needed more mages in our county.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Hah…" My father sighed after their departure.

"Why the long face, Father?" I asked.

"Eli, you might not understand, but our financial situation is not unlike Alicia's father's," Brother Zach gave me the bad news.

"Ehh? We are in debt?" I shouted. This is a significant discovery! We are so screwed! Moreover, we have to pay 2 months upfront for that bloodsucking teacher who only comes here twice a week?

"The empire won't leave us to our own devices. We are the bulwark against monsters and the northern barbaric kingdom. Moreover, I agree with Eli's decision," my father said. Even though he agreed, his face said otherwise. He looked highly depressed. "A level 6 fire mage with that mana is very valuable. She might rival some of five or even ten mages on the frontlines in these two months."

"But deploying underage children is against the law, Father."

"Well, Eli was able to see the battle up close. Let's just say that they are not deployed, but it was a real-life practice," he answered reluctantly. "Or, they could simply fill in feystones. We have to pay more than two thousand each year for those feystones…."

The number of gold that flowed out was unthinkable for my childish mind. If a monthly wage was 4 or 5 gold, then they were talking about hundreds of people's monthly income only for feystones.

"Why…" I was speechless.

"Well, just as Alex said, we need feystones for lamps. They are better than torches since they are impervious to weather. Moreover, some alarms also use feystones. We need to replace those yearly. Moreover, magic tools inside the city all need feystones. Lamps, stoves, ovens, and furnaces all require feystones," Zach said.

I was getting dizzy at the statement. This medieval fantasy was indeed more convenient than the medieval era on Earth. The roads were clean and paved. The stove produced no smoke, and the lamps didn't even smell. I never thought it was all from feystones. I heard the population of mages is around 5 percent in the entire kingdom. That's why mages are so valued. Their demand is high while their supply is low.

Alicia came the very next day. Alex also came with several books and we began our lesson immediately. However, Alicia was having problems right from the get-go.

"Hmm… You are having problems with suppressing your mana…" he commented. "I will have you practice at home by yourself. If you have any questions, you may ask Miss Eli. She was able to do it on the first try. Miss Eli, I shall continue from where we left off. Here is how you fill in feystones. They are worth 1 silver each everywhere. The kingdom has declared that their price must never rise, and if you offer or accept a price higher than that, you are punishable by law." He spat out the contents of the lesson. He seemed to despise the kingdom's policies very much. I am just a kid, so I am not sure if 1 silver each is a lot or too little.

"Well, if someone didn't regulate the prices, the price could climb to the sky, right? I heard that even our stoves use feystones." I answered.

"Well, if that happened, even our lives would be in jeopardy since we still need commoners to bake our bread and our smiths to forge our steel. So, I guess I have to agree with the king's decree." His face scrunched up. This teacher was unlikeable. He is greedy and arrogant.

According to his instructions, I channeled my mana into the feystones. Little by little, I gathered my mana and moved it into the feystones. However, my mana stopped at my fingertips and wouldn't push much further. I tilted my head at this phenomenon.

"Sir Alex, I seem unable to do it. The mana stops at my fingers."

"Hmm… well then, I shall give you these two feystones. Practice with them. I will come here again in three days," he replied, then left after giving some pointers to Alicia.

"Ugh… how should I do this. If I can't do this, then…" Alicia was muttering by herself as she glared at the feystones.

"Relax your body, Alicia. We still have more than two months. If you get agitated, you won't be able to control your mana. Breathe in, breathe out. Then, try to meditate and feel the mana in your body. Then, after you feel it, you can manipulate it." I gave her some suggestions before she went home.

I spent an entire day and night trying to figure out how to insert mana into an empty feystone. I couldn't force it in, no matter what. When I dozed off from exhaustion from thinking too much, I woke up to find the feystone a little bit filled. A slight glow appeared on the black feystone, marking that it was filled by about ten percent.

“That scumbag teacher. He could have told me to release my mana and radiate it outside," I muttered as I removed my lock and cupped the feystone. I kept doing that, and the feystone was filled to the brim the next day.