Three days later, Wizard Sakvara personally arrived at the place where Merlin was staying currently.

"Wizard Merlin, follow me. Wizard Umo, one of the three fort leaders, wants to confer the gold-lined robe to you personally!"

Wizard Sakvara appeared rather excited; even his tone was brimming with excitement.

However, Merlin was slightly shocked. Fort Udon had three fort leaders and they were all Ninth-level Spell Casters. Now, the superior Ninth-level Spell Caster wanted to meet Merlin personally. This had greatly unsettled Merlin.

After all, Merlin had not even met a single Ninth-level Spell Caster in the Dark Magic Region. Although there were Ninth-level Spell Casters in the Dark Magic Region, they rarely showed themselves in public. Even some of the Seventh-level Spell Casters could not meet them easily, not to mention Merlin.

Apparently, Wizard Sakvara saw through Merlin's hesitation so he said to him, "Wizard Merlin, there's no need to worry about anything. Wizard Umo is very friendly. He only wanted to meet you because I applied for a gold-lined robe on your behalf."

Merlin took a deep breath and nodded. "Wizard Sakvara, please lead the way."

Thereafter, Merlin trailed behind Wizard Sakvara and walked toward a mysterious castle.

This castle did not seem to look indifferent; it had a great environment of lush greeneries which made people feel refreshed. However, there were no Spell Casters on guard around the castle. Nor was the place protected by Runic Magic Circles.

Merlin could hardly imagine a fort leader of Fort Udon would live in such a loosely-secured place.

Wizard Sakvara smiled. "Wizard Merlin, are you surprised? Wizard Umo indeed lives here. Not only Wizard Umo, but the other two fort leaders are also the same. The places they live in don't have any security.

"Considering the fort leaders' ability, what use is there for every Spell Caster of Fort Udon to stand in front of them as protection should there be anyone who can threaten the fort leaders?"

Merlin nodded absent-mindedly. Indeed, the fort leaders of Fort Udon were all Ninth-level Spell Casters. Only the legendary Great Wizard could threaten them.

Should their foe, the Great Wizard, was to attack them, it was afraid that the combined forces of the entire Fort Udon would not bring any effect to the result.

"O' respectable Wizard Umo, I've brought Wizard Merlin to you!"

When they arrived at the main gate of the castle, Wizard Sakvara did not push the door open right away. Instead, he respectfully called out toward the castle.

"Wizard Sakvara, good job. Come in!"

An attractive voice came from within the castle. It sounded extremely kind and friendly.

"Alright, let's go in."

Wizard Sakvara smiled to Merlin, then pushed the door open and brought Merlin into the castle.

A nice fragrance of ink filled the castle. The decoration was refined and elegant. There were exquisite drawings hanging on the walls that could be identified as famous painters' work by one look.

Other than drawings, there were some precious-looking pottery and a gray carpet, adding elegance to the overall place. The furniture was delicately picked, and the arrangement of the hall gave off the aura of an aristocrat's home.

"Wizard Umo, this is Wizard Merlin!"

Wizard Sakvara faced the front and said respectfully to a middle-aged man who was sitting on a chair. The man did not wear any robe. Instead, he wore a blue aristocrat's outfit and looked like a well-mannered aristocrat.

However, Merlin knew that this man was indeed one of the fort leaders of Fort Udon. He was one of the strongest Spell Casters, Wizard Umo!

Merlin bowed slightly. Wizard Umo who seemed more like an aristocrat, seemed to look no different from an aristocrat. However, his eyes were unimaginably deep.

The eyes were the windows to a person's soul. No matter what the Spell Casters tried to hide, their eyes would betray them in an instant. Wizard Umo's glance gave off an incredibly threatening sense to Merlin. Wizard Umo was more dangerous than any Spell Caster Merlin had ever met.

"Wizard Merlin, that's right. It's Fort Udon's honor to have you with us! Wizard Sakvara applied for a gold-lined robe on your behalf. Do you know what a gold-lined robe represents?"

Wizard Umo asked in a calm manner.

Merlin nodded. "I know just a little. The gold-lined robe is the highest honor in Fort Udon. Anyone who has a gold-lined robe is considered the top tier among his peers."

After Wizard Umo heard the reply, he shook his head slightly. "That's wrong. Anyone who has a gold-lined robe isn't considered the top tier among his peers. They're the invincible presences among his peers, the one and only symbol! It's been so many years... Among the Novice gray-robed Wizard in Fort Udon, no one has ever obtained the gold-lined robe before. You're the first!"

Finally, Merlin realized the true significance of a gold-lined robe. It represented the highest honor of Fort Udon and the Spell Caster of the highest potential in Fort Udon.

Now, Merlin finally understood why he, a mere First-level Spell Caster who had only defeated a Fourth-level Alchemy Monster and obtained the identity of a Novice gray-robed Wizard, had called for Wizard Umo's attention.

The true reason lied in the gold-lined robe. The gold-lined robe was not easily conferred to others. There was only a small amount of Spell Casters who had obtained the gold-lined robe in the entire Fort Udon.

"Wizard Merlin, I, Umo, representing the entire Fort Udon, now confer you a Novice gold-lined gray robe! From today onward, you're a gray-robed Wizard in Fort Udon!"

Wizard Umo wore a serious expression, then took a gold-lined gray robe from his ring. This robe was no different from the usual gray robe. The only difference was in the neck area where a unique gold line was weaved on it; the gold line represented the absolute identity and status of the Spell Caster in Fort Udon.

Merlin took this gold-lined robe from Wizard Umo. There were some mysterious Runic Magic Circles etched on it that possessed a strong defensive ability.

However, this was almost the same as the robe that Merlin had exchanged for from the Resource Tower. It could barely block a Third-level attack.

Although the robe did not have any specialty, it brought a completely different meaning.

Wizard Sakvara said to Merlin in a low voice, "Wizard Merlin, there's one more thing that you may have not known. The Spell Casters who have obtained the gold-lined robe can instruct all Spell Casters of your level in Fort Udon at will!"

"What? The gold-lined robe offers such a right?"

Merlin looked at Wizard Umo in disbelief. To be able to order all his peers meant that Merlin could give orders to all Novice gray-robed Wizards of Fort Udon should he wear this Novice gold-lined gray robe.

They were mostly Fourth-level Spell Casters. Even in the Dark Magic Region, they were capable of building a tower for themselves and mentoring other Spell Casters.

The superior Fourth-level Spell Casters could easily be ordered by Merlin now just because he wore a gold-lined robe.

Wizard Umo nodded. "That's right. Wizard Sakvara is right. Other than a great honor, the gold-lined robe also gives you a right to give orders to many Spell Casters unconditionally. You have the Novice gold-lined gray robe now, so you have the power to order any Novice gray-robed Wizards!"

The prestige gave Merlin a great shock. If he had such prestige in Fort Udon, he would have no issue in searching for Lava Soil.

"Wizard Merlin, sign the contract. Since you've been conferred the gold-lined robe, you're considered the core of Fort Udon. That's why you've to sign the highest-level contract."

Wizard Umo took a golden contract paper out and glanced at Merlin calmly.

"Sign the contract?"

Merlin frowned and hesitated. He thought of the highest-level contract that he had signed with the Dark Magic Region where he had agreed that he would never betray the Dark Magic Region.

The contract he was about to sign with Fort Udon would probably conflict with the previous one.

Upon thinking of this, Merlin knew that he must get this point across clearly. Thus, he said, "Wizard Umo, I need to clarify something. I'm not a roaming Wizard. I came from somewhere far away and I'm a member of a spell casters' organization called the Dark Magic Region. I've signed the highest-level contract with them as well and have agreed to never betray the Dark Magic Region. So, I'm afraid I can't sign your contract now…"

Merlin initially thought that Fort Udon was a dispersed force and was not a spell casters' organization. He thought that no contract would be involved, but it seemed that he was wrong.

Since the Kurdmansla Islands had been developed for so many years, the few influences on the islands had fostered a solid foundation. They also possessed many contract papers. After a few hundred years, it was highly plausible for the influences on the Kurdmansla Islands to improve to become spell casters' organizations.

"The Dark Magic Region? I've heard about it before. I even went to Fire City before, but I didn't think that Wizard Merlin would be a member of the Dark Magic Region."

Wizard Umo seemed a little surprised, but he thought for a while and continued. "To be fair, this is no big deal since Fort Udon doesn't come into contact with the Dark Magic Region very often. Moreover, they are well separated from each other. There may never be a conflict between the two. So, the contract between Wizard Merlin and Fort Udon can be changed a little.

"How about this? The contract can be changed such that the contract will be nulled should there be a conflict between Fort Udon and the Dark Magic Region. How does this sound? Wizard Merlin, surely you won't have any hesitation now after the contract has changed?"

Wizard Umo directly changed the content of the contract. Should one day Fort Udon truly had a conflict of interest with the Dark Magic Region, Merlin could simply ignore his contract with Fort Udon. This was the highest sincerity which Wizard Umo had displayed.

Since this did not conflict with his contract with the Dark Magic Region, Merlin naturally did not worry about anything and began to sign the contract.

Merlin was already familiar with the process of signing the contract, so he quickly did it. The contract paper was then kept by Wizard Umo. With this paper, Merlin must not betray Fort Udon.

After signing the contract, Merlin was officially a member of Fort Udon. Moreover, he was considered the core of Fort Udon who possessed a gold-lined robe that represented the greatest honor and prestige!