Warlock Apprentice

Angel opened his eyes and returned from the Wilderness of Dreams to reality.

This time, he stayed in the Wilderness of Dreams for less than a quarter of an hour, confirming Lyon’s safety, and then hurriedly returned to reality. The reason was—

”Knock, knock, knock.” A crisp knocking sound came from outside the door.

Angel reached out his finger and lightly tapped the void. The door, several meters away, automatically opened, revealing a hunched figure.

Standing at the door was Anada.

Although the door was open, Anada hesitated about whether to step inside until a voice said ”Please come in,” after which she walked in, her head bowed and her steps faltering.

Anada carried a tray, which held a delicate Mithril teapot and matching low cups, along with a plate of green sweets.

”Sir, this is Night Demon Red Tea and cold-style tea snacks.” Somewhat reserved, Anada placed the tray in front of Angel.

Angel asked, ”Did Zithraide send you with this?”

Anada shook her head, ”No, sir, this is from me...” Suddenly, Anada didn’t know what to say, stammering for a while without saying a word.

Angel smiled lightly, ”So, this is the dessert you prepared... Hmm, the taste is quite good.”

Angel’s calm manner gradually eased Anada’s tense mood. She nodded, ”Yes, it’s the snack I prepared. I’m very grateful...”

”Grateful you told me about the Frost Night Potion back then, preventing me from despair.”

She prepared this dessert as a way to repay the kindness of Angel’s advice.

Angel asked, ”So, you got the Frost Night Potion from Zithraide and gave up your youth?”

”Yes.” Anada nodded.

”Was it worth it?” Angel lightly tapped the glass tabletop with his fingertips, quietly gazing at the old acquaintance before him with snow-white hair.

”It was worth it.” Anada replied without hesitation, ”When I learned that wizards existed in this world, I suddenly felt that the environment I was in and my life seemed so ordinary, as if shrouded in a mist that couldn’t be dispelled. I wanted to go above the mist to see what kind of sights there would be.”

”I know, only by becoming a wizard myself can I have the qualifications to see this world clearly.”

Initially, Anada spoke with some stuttering, but perhaps due to the relaxed atmosphere Angel provided, her voice gradually became fluent.

”But I lacked talent. I thought I would be trapped in the quagmire all my life until you told me I still had hope. As long as I could find the Frost Night Potion, I could still step into the domain I longed for.”

This motivated Anada to not give up, leaving Night Demon City and roaming the wilderness seeking opportunities. Eventually, the exhausted Anada found Zithraide’s antique shop.

Perhaps her persistence guided fate to lead her to the shop, or perhaps the shop was calling her, letting her find a home through her struggle.

Ultimately, she successfully became a Transcendent, even though she paid an expensive price.

Angel asked, ”You’ve now taken that step. Have you seen the sights you hoped to see?”

”A little,” Anada lowered her head slightly, ”but I want to see more.”

Angel chuckled, took a sip of tea, and after finishing the last bite of snacks on the tray, said, ”Then, I bless you to fulfill your wishes.”

Anada bowed deeply, picked up the empty tray, and prepared to leave.

However, when reaching the door, Anada turned her head, hesitatingly asked softly, ”Sir, may I ask a question?”

Angel nodded indifferently.

”Is Hebdon still living on Illusion Demon Island?”

”Yes.”

Anada thought for a moment, ”I have some things I want to give Hebdon. Is there a way to send them to him?”

Angel replied, ”I remember Zithraide once told me Hebdon often comes here.”

Anada hung her head, letting out a bitter laugh, ”I... I don’t want to meet him with this face.”

Angel looked at Anada. From their earlier conversation, he could sense Anada’s strong pursuit of the path of Transcendence. He thought Anada genuinely didn’t care about her appearance, but now it seemed she wasn’t entirely indifferent.

Angel thought for a moment, ”I believe Hebdon shouldn’t mind what you’ve become.”

Anada was silent for a long time before saying, ”But I care.” She hoped to remain as she was in Hebdon’s memory: lively and vibrant, not the elderly form she had now.

Angel didn’t attempt to understand the complex emotions in Anada’s heart at the moment. He thought and said, ”Illusion Demon Island is not welcoming to outsiders, but if you trust me, I can help you pass it on to Hebdon.”

Anada said, ”I trust you, sir.”

Quickly, Anada took out the items she wanted to pass to Hebdon from her package.

Angel thought Anada would give Hebdon something commemorative, such as a personal item or something with spiritual value.

However, what Anada ultimately took out was a few stones.

These stones had red symbols on them, emitting a faint bloody smell.

To Angel, these stones seemed ordinary, but when those red symbols appeared on them, it created a strange sense of disharmony.

Didn’t seem to be mundane?

Angel looked carefully at the stones. The red symbols painted on them weren’t any language he recognized, nor were they magic patterns; they looked somewhat like... the lines of grand will.

Angel suddenly thought of something, ”Are these offerings?”

Anada nodded, ”Yes.”

Offerings are actually a type of medium used in Ritual Studies.

Angel knew little about Ritual Studies because it was not prevalent in the Southern Domain. Though it wasn’t pursued by Extreme Sect members like Inscription Studies, Ritual Studies experts in the Southern Domain were still quite few, near countable on one hand.

Angel only knew that Ritual Studies had a vast system, no less than Alchemy Studies.

The stone offering before him, with a bloody smell, indicated it had formed recently. Angel looked at Anada in confusion, ”Did you make this?”

Anada nodded, ”Yes, this is an offering for a Round Stone Ceremony. Arranging them neatly around and consuming a quarter of a Magic Crystal can activate the ceremony. Its function is to focus the mind and subtly concentrate attention...”

Hebdon is a person who cannot settle down, which is a headache for Butler Good. The offering Anada sent targets Hebdon’s propensity to get distracted.

”You understand Ritual Studies?” Angel asked out of curiosity.

Anada said, ”I know a little; I’ve learned the Round Stone Ceremony and a small part of the Pray-Eat Ritual. The store manager taught me.”

Although Angel was quite interested in Ritual Studies, he didn’t pursue further questioning with Anada. After accepting the stones, he said, ”I’ll pass them on to Hebdon.”

”Sir, could you please not tell him these stones are from me?” Anada hesitated for a moment before adding.

Angel looked deeply at her and, without asking for reasons, directly nodded, ”Okay.”

”Thank you, sir.” After saying this, Anada bowed to Angel and slowly retreated.

Angel rubbed the stones in his hand, a slight smile on his lips: these two are quite interesting, with Hebdon sending Anada Magic Potions and Anada giving Hebdon offerings... Moreover, one can never grow up, and the other aged prematurely without having enjoyed maturity.

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