I’m a man who enjoys simple things, mostly. I like a simple meal without many ingredients, and I like to worry about only a few things at once. I don’t like when there’s too much clutter in my life – it makes me nervous and unnecessarily anxious. My mother used to say that if I only took on a few more responsibilities, I would have the city at my feet. However, I’ve never been interested in that kind of thing. Let the accounts and balances be run by someone else who doesn’t enjoy baking, not me. Let me enjoy the things in life that make me happy – I don’t need to worry about how much money I make, how some people on the other side of the world would enjoy my baking very much, and so on.

In the end, I can only feel and see what’s in front of me, and that’s how I enjoy living. Few people are blessed with true happiness in both worlds, be it on Earth or this weird, magical place. One of the reasons that it is so is because people worry about too many things; they have the incessant need to have everything under control.

I barely have a hold on my bakery. I’m sure that if Stan decided so, I’d be out of the job tomorrow. But who cares? I’d find another one. And I’m having fun in the meanwhile, lots of fun. Happiness doesn’t have a price tag on it. It appears I’ve made some money here in the same way I did back on Earth, and, to my mom’s dismay, I’ve never really cared about making more.

Sure, I learned more about baking as soon as I graduated high school. Mind you, I was working as one already before graduating, and only my mom’s nagging convinced me to actually get a degree in it. After that, I traveled a bit to learn from the masters, and a few years later, I had my own place.

That’s all I need in the world, my little slice of a Big Apple. And even though Amorium is nothing like Brooklyn, I like to think I’m cutting myself a little slice here as well. Not having a [Baker] class is a huge sign that something is amiss with me, sure, but I don’t really care about that either. Being a [Mage] – I mean, not exactly a [Mage], hehe – is good enough.

But see, I also have my raging fits and a little pride that I take here and there. Plus, even though I don’t give a rat’s ass about what others think of me, it’s not pleasant to see your friends belittled. I believe there’s always a higher ceiling above you, and you should always behave as such. It may be cheesy, but that’s another one of my mom’s teachings.

‘Never be arrogant, Joe, or someone will wipe the floor with your ass one day.’

Yeah, my ma’ isn’t the most refined lady in existence.

Anyway, I tune in to what the two [Enchanters] are saying.

“…so based on all that, it would only be fair to give you a little advantage.”

I snort.

“Young man, there’s no reason to be humiliated in front of everyone,” Lakaris says. “My crew is made up of the best of the best. Losing this bet is a big loss of face for such a young [Mage] like you, and it would be bullying if we didn’t give a small chance to win.”

Stan is on the side with his smart-ass face on, caressing his beard. He’s probably trying not to smirk, right? Goddamn, Stanimal, you little fox. Was this part of your plan?

I don’t even know why I think so, but I suddenly feel that Stan orchestrated at least a part of this.

“Come on, choose a Cantrip, you two,” I say with a hint of annoyance in my voice.

The two look at Lakaris, who nods with a sigh. They are both Elves, and they shrug while looking at me.

“I’m Marcus, young Human,” the middle-aged Elf nods to me. “Let’s go with the 1st Cantrip. It’s probably the one you know best.”

How condescending.

I know that these people somehow took a liking to me or simply pitied me, but this whole drama about not humiliating the poor Human who doesn’t know better is getting on my nerves.

“Well, let’s see what you got,” I smile like a Cheshire cat at the [Enchanter].

The man summons two [Lights] as big as fists that slowly but surely start picking up speed. It’s a gradual process before they settle into an almost perfect motion. There’s only a very faint hint of jaggedness. After around a minute and a half, they disappear under the satisfied grin of my opponent.

Huh?

That’s it?

I could do better than that months ago!

“Are you sure that’s your best attempt?” I ask, cringing.

“Don’t be scared,” the man waves away what he interprets as my concerns. “It’s natural for you to be—”

I sigh and snap my fingers.

Four [Lights] the size of his head appear around him, close to his head, and they start rising in the air and expanding their orbits. They almost reach the ceiling before stopping and reaching their maximum acceleration. Now, keeping the movement constant, I add a little light-shedding effect and change their colors.

Manipulating a spell in mid-air is doable for me now. It’s actually easier than you would think. You just have to draw on the existing matrix while making sure not to touch the important bits. The book said that the Cantrips I practiced, those around the 200th, I think, will be very useful for when I have to learn to [Dispel] enemy spells.

Oh, man, I really need to get back home and take care of the stupid Cantrips question. Plus, I have to remember to keep asking Quintus and Tiberius for advice. Quintus just solved the problem that was—

“That’s incredible,” I hear the [Enchanter] say. He’s not even ashamed; his attention has just been caught by my little spectacle of [Lights].

“Thank you, it’s nothing much, though, really,” I say with a smile.

I look at the other [Enchanter] who has suddenly gone pale. Lakaris himself looks like he just caught me in bed with his mother.

“Yo, Lakaris. Do I have to go through another Cantrip with your other [Enchanter], or should I start writing down that I only owe you half the money for the job?”

“Joey, it’s one-quarter of the money; that’s what you said,” Stanimal corrects me from the side.

“Yeah, thanks for reminding me, Stanimal. Well, that and… did we bet on something else?”

The problems the Cantrips threw at me really distracted me from everything else.

“Claudius as part of his crew,” Stan adds.

“Yeah, that too. Good. You know what, I might even learn some [Enchanting] if my training allows it. It looks like I could nerd out a little on that virgin-made stuff.”

I sit back down and start eating again, ordering more Lidulae and another steak amidst the flabbergasted looks of Lakaris and his crew. Man, magic really makes you hungry, huh?