Warlock Apprentice

Before Angel could open the light screen, he heard a rustling sound behind him. Turning around, he saw Greya somehow conjure a dark fairy tale style black throne out of nowhere.

Greya lounged lazily on the throne, idly playing with a few spade cards in her hand. She seemed relaxed, but her attention was clearly on the light screen.

”Is this really necessary...” Angel looked at the already imposing Greya, a flood of sarcastic remarks crossing his mind.

”You don’t understand.” Greya concealed her fiery red lips behind the cards, a mysterious glint flickering in her eyes.

”Let’s say I don’t understand, but don’t you think this style of seating clashes with my study?” Angel couldn’t help but point out.

Greya glanced around; Angel’s study was typical of traditional nobility, predominantly a dark ochre tone, rarely accented with a flash of red mahogany. Indeed, her black spade throne didn’t really fit in.

After contemplating briefly, Greya looked at Angel: ”Help me out a bit. My illusion technique is alright for myself, but Lydia might see through the background.”

”Why must you do this?”

Greya didn’t answer and continued to brush off Angel with a simple ”You don’t understand.”

Seeing Greya’s determination, Angel sighed deeply, lifted his foot slightly, and then stomped heavily on the ground. An energy ripple instantly formed beneath him, spreading across the study like a wave.

Greya felt her vision blur, and the world around her darkened. Turning her head, she found that the surroundings had transformed into a dark cathedral covered in rose patterns, with the black spade throne perfectly positioned front and center, a stained-glass window with a black base behind her.

It looked eerie yet solemn, perfectly matching Greya’s throne style.

”Thank you.” Greya smiled at Angel, and in the next second, she immediately dropped her smile and assumed a detached demeanor.

It seemed Greya was ready to ”face off” against Lydia.

Angel opened the light screen, and as an image flickered onto it, Greya tilted her head slightly, her eyes holding a subtle air of superiority.

”Oh? Isn’t this Greya? You’ve reverted to your old look? Personally, I thought your style some time ago was more appealing.” An elderly man’s voice came through the light screen.

It’s not Lydia? Greya lowered her head, looking closely, and found that the screen showed Midora, with his orange-red withered hair.

”Where are you, it looks like a cathedral...” Midora’s voice continued, and Angel noticed that Greya was struggling to maintain her composure. He quickly stepped in front of the light screen and simply explained why the setting was arranged.

Midora paused, seemingly not grasping Greya’s intent either. However, a gentle female voice came from beside Midora: ”Greya is doing the right thing, just don’t worry about it.”

Angel: ”Lady Yeliya is there with you?”

Midora nodded while stroking his beard: ”She brought Tugan to buy tickets for Sharley’s magic show, and knowing I was at the Signal Tower, she came over to find me.”

As Midora finished speaking, a chubby little figure darted into the center of the light screen.

This pudgy little fellow, with his face painted in totem colors, was Tugan.

Tugan pointed his short, stubby finger at the playing cards in Greya’s hand, his eyes shining brightly: ”Playing cards! I want playing cards too!”

As soon as Tugan spoke, Angel saw a well-manicured hand reach in from the side, grab Tugan by the back of his collar, and lift him out of the screen’s view. Meanwhile, Lady Yeliya’s voice faintly scolded Tugan in the background.

”Let’s not mind them, back to business.” Midora didn’t glance at Tugan to the side, instead focusing on Angel: ”I just managed to contact the Falvins family for you. They said they need to prepare, and will soon connect through my Signal Tower directly to you.”

Angel nodded knowingly. This meant that the number one Signal Tower in Sky Mechanical City would serve as a medium to connect him with the Falvins family, a routine procedure when neither party knows how to contact the other’s Signal Tower.

Angel: ”What did they say about preparing?”

Midora shrugged: ”Who knows, probably to fetch Lydia.”

As Midora spoke, a series of ”thump, thump, thump” sounds echoed from the other side of the screen. Midora glanced down and said: ”The Falvins family has contacted me. Should I connect to you now?”

Angel nodded: ”Alright.”

As he finished speaking, the screen let out a soft fizz sound, and the image transitioned.

A fiery red scene appeared at the center of the screen. Amidst this fiery redness, there seemed to be something like petals, and just as Angel was about to look closer, Greya tapped his shoulder from behind.

Turning around, he saw Greya extend her index finger, pointing to the side.

The meaning was clear, to step aside.

Angel thought for a moment, realizing that the negotiation concerning the Eyeless Man, Houston, was ultimately Greya’s responsibility, so his presence wasn’t necessary.

With this thought, Angel stepped to the side, leaving the view open for Greya.

Standing to the side, Angel could still see the screen’s display. Earlier, he thought he had glimpsed petals, and he wasn’t wrong. As the fiery light gradually faded, a Red Lotus Garden, with its flame-red hues, appeared before Angel.

Upon seeing the scene clearly, Angel suddenly understood Greya’s earlier insistence.

Because, Lydia’s side was even more extravagant compared to Greya’s...

Lydia donned an extravagant flaming red dress, barefoot, reclining lazily in the Red Lotus Garden. Her makeup was as thick as if she had just fed on blood, combined with the scarlet blood-drenched light and the countless blooming red lotuses in the garden, creating a strangely haunting beauty.

Petals drifted continuously in the wind, and Lydia seemed like a demon in the floral rain, her every move dazzlingly beautiful.

Angel: ”...”

He had met Lydia before, and while she was certainly arrogant and brash, he hadn’t seen her so ostentatious before?

Greya shot Angel a look: Now do you understand? It’s not that I want it this way, but I can’t lose.

”Isn’t this Greya? I remember I contacted Angel, so why...” Lydia’s voice came through the screen.

”I believe Lydia knows why I contacted you. The matter concerning the Eyeless Man is relevant to Greya, so I’ll leave it to her to discuss with you.” Angel said softly from the side.

A flicker of barely noticeable disappointment crossed Lydia’s eyes, but she quickly masked it, directing her attention to Greya: ”Speaking of which, I’ve heard a rumor about you.”

”Oh?” Greya continued playing with the cards, casually casting a glance over.

Lydia: ”I heard that you previously used other forms, and reportedly, your body was lost?”

Implying, of course, that Greya’s current appearance was fabricated.

Greya chuckled indifferently: ”Whether my body is lost or not doesn’t matter. Even if I don’t use that body, I can still walk the path of a Wizard, it doesn’t affect my creation of spells.”

”As for appearance, whichever form feels most comfortable, that’s the one I use. Rather than deliberately crafting an appearance.”

Lydia squinted slightly: ”Is that so?”

”Of course it is.”