Warlock Apprentice

The one speaking is the person made of leaves.

It is a man with certain parts covered by green leaves.

Angel: ”It hasn’t been half a year, so it doesn’t count as long, does it... Lord Tree Spirit.”

Angel pointed out the identity of the person, one of the three Ancestral Spirits of the Barbarian Cave, the Tree Spirit of the Eternal Tree.

”Recently, there have been no fun things or interesting people in the Mirror World; you’re still the most intriguing,” Tree Spirit blinked his eyes, ”So in the months you’ve been gone, my timeline feels as if it’s been stretched long.”

Angel stayed silent, while Greya pouted on the side, thinking to herself: sweet-talker. If Tree Spirit applied this slickness more to Yva, he wouldn’t only dare to admire her secretly till now.

Unaware of Greya’s inner criticism, Tree Spirit, after his shameless words, smilingly approached Angel and gave him a careful look over, then patted his shoulder, ”Very good.”

”When I saw the news of your promotion in the magazine, I was a bit skeptical. But now that I see you, I realize the magazine’s praise was not exaggerated at all.” Tree Spirit didn’t spare compliments, as examples of such rapid ascension to Official Wizard in his long life are rare. In nearly a thousand years, Angel is already the fastest.

A quick promotion doesn’t necessarily mean the best, as it might indicate unstable foundations. Tree Spirit had worried about such problems with Angel, but today those concerns were thoroughly dismissed.

Not only did Angel’s promotion happen swiftly, but his interaction with the outside Primordial Magic shows his Magical Core is definitely stable. Coupled with Angel’s Research and Development Institute membership, he naturally deserves such high praise.

”Other matters can wait until we return,” Sanders suddenly spoke up at this moment, ”What concerns me more now is this Puppet Hospital incident.”

”What exactly is going on here?”

Tree Spirit glanced at Sanders but didn’t immediately answer; instead, he floated slowly in the air, arriving in front of Old Hanmu, who was bound by the Octopus.

Tree Spirit extended his finger, touching the still unconscious Old Hanmu.

Then he sighed and slowly withdrew: ”Has he been infected too? Is it because of Yva?”

”Lord Tree Spirit also knows Yva?” Angel was somewhat puzzled, wondering how Lord Tree Spirit knew Yva’s name so clearly.

Tree Spirit turned around and nodded: ”Of course I know, because I’m currently the one watching over the Puppet Hospital.”

Tree Spirit’s words startled everyone.

Puppet Hospital, being watched over by Tree Spirit? Tree Spirit is one of the three Ancestral Spirits; his watch over this Puppet Hospital might mean something significant?

After a moment of bewilderment, everyone gradually accepted this answer. Upon reflection, it seems reasonable. Since Tree Spirit watches over the Puppet Hospital, no one else needs to be here, which explains why Greya noted the lack of human presence here is normal.

However, if Lord Tree Spirit is watching over, how did Yva get out?

Greya asked this question.

Tree Spirit provided an answer to this question.

The Barrier of the Puppet Hospital is sufficient to isolate mad patients, but it can’t isolate humans. Yva was let out by someone, and the person who released Yva wasn’t intentionally trying to cause chaos, but was Yva’s sister.

The sister who depends on Yva.

The bond of kinship led Yva’s sister to enter the Puppet Hospital to release him.

This answer seems absurd, but Angel had previously heard similar speculation from Cashew.

At the time, when Cashew and others saw Yva, they suspected it was his sister’s doing, and indeed, they were not mistaken.

Yet, it still seems odd; isn’t Lord Tree Spirit watching over? How did Yva’s sister avoid detection?

Tree Spirit sighed: ”This was my oversight.”

When in the Mirror World, his perception covers all ranges of the Eternal Tree; it’s almost omniscient there. However, Windmill Town is outside the Mirror World, and he needs to specifically expend energy to monitor here continuously.

Just last night, Tree Spirit slightly neglected this area, shifting his focus entirely to the relics.

The relic held by Lord Rhein surprisingly had another live line eruption. To prevent nearby apprentices from infection, Tree Spirit expended significant energy to create a Barrier near the relic.

And at that very moment, Yva’s sister broke into the Puppet Hospital.

By the time Tree Spirit regained focus, Yva was already gone. Through retrospection, he saw Yva’s fully armed sister had been there, thus went to find Yva’s sister.

Regrettably, despite being fully armed, Yva’s sister was infected. Fortunately, when infected, she lingered at home and did not go out; otherwise, she might have infected more people.

As for Yva, he was not at home. He likely left home after infecting Yva’s sister during her unconscious state.

Tree Spirit arranged for a wizard to bring Yva’s sister here, then began searching for the missing Yva and sensed for more infected individuals in Windmill Town.

Windmill Town is currently in a state of panic, everyone is anxious, residents are confined to their homes, staying in unless necessary, so Tree Spirit detected no additional infections in Windmill Town.

Tree Spirit planned a broader search scope to find Yva when Sanders and others arrived at the Puppet Hospital.

After listening to Tree Spirit’s account, Sanders confirmed there was no anomaly in Yva’s escape before asking about what mattered to him most.

”Live line eruption, what is this?” Sanders originally intended to ask about the Puppet Hospital, but caught this term from Tree Spirit. He sensed this live line eruption might be related to the current situation.

”Regarding the live line matter, even if you don’t ask, I would tell you. Because you might be the only one who can find a solution,” Tree Spirit said solemnly.

Just as Sanders was about to inquire further, Tree Spirit paused, his gaze shifted to the hospital’s door.

A man wearing a black bowler hat, dressed in a gentleman’s suit, and holding an obsidian cane slowly walked inside.

As the man entered the hall, he removed his hat, revealing hair meticulously combed down to the very ends, and a weathered, aged face.

Once everyone saw who it was, there was a flash of surprise in their eyes.

For the newcomer is the current Controller of the Barbarian Cave!

”Lord Rhein!”