Warlock Apprentice

Angel crossed the Dream Bridge and returned to reality from the Wilderness of Dreams.

As his thoughts regained control, he felt light and shadows flickering vaguely in front of him.

Angel hazily opened his eyes and saw that a tall yellow-leaf oak tree had grown beside him at some point. The gentle sunlight penetrated the dense leaves, casting a dappled shadow on his face.

The light and shadow flickering he felt earlier were the effect of the wind blowing through the leaves.

When did a tree grow here? Angel yawned as he sat up, pondering the origin of this tree.

”Did you enjoy my sun chair?” A lazy female voice sounded beside him.

Angel turned his head and saw Greya sitting on the window ledge of the Mana Hut, raising her eyebrows at him.

By this time, Greya had already reverted to her original form from the earlier flamboyant Meat Mountain Demon King image, indicating that her conversation with Lydia had concluded.

”Quite comfortable.” Angel casually replied, then shifted the topic: ”How did your talk with Lydia go?”

Just as Greya was about to speak, a sudden swoosh of wind flashed overhead.

Angel looked up and saw a gray shadow descending from the tree, pouncing towards him.

Angel did not dodge, even reaching out his hand. When the swift shadow calmed, it was Toby standing on Angel’s palm. Toby was the gray shadow that had pounced.

Angel was about to help Toby smooth its feathers, but unexpectedly, Toby had no intention of staying in his palm. It took out a large, black, muddy brick from the Snow Feather, threw it into Angel’s hand, and then darted into the Mana Hut at lightning speed.

Angel was momentarily stunned, then focused his gaze and discovered that Toby was inside the Mana Hut, holding a small fish fry in its mouth, savoring it.

”No wonder it was so eager,” Angel chuckled, turning his attention to the item Toby left behind.

Previously, he thought it was a black brick, but upon closer inspection, the ”brick” had many intertwining wooden whiskers, resembling a net. It also emitted a faint, pleasant aroma.

”This is a fruit from the Sticky Sprout Tree. Toby specifically asked me to create it and actively helped you pick it,” Greya explained when Angel was puzzled.

”Sticky Sprout Tree? You created it?” Angel looked at the towering tree beside him and then at Greya. ”Is it a culinary creation like the Dairy Fruit Tree?”

Greya nodded noncommittally: ”That’s right. Aren’t you going to try it? Toby personally picked it for you.”

Angel wasn’t hungry, but he didn’t want to disappoint Toby’s gesture. After some thought, he decided to cut the Sticky Sprout Tree fruit in half.

As the ”brick” was cut open, it revealed soft white flesh inside, with the same faint aroma.

Angel: ”Eat it directly?”

”Exactly, you can eat the fruit inside,” Greya replied, while Angel noticed Toby also flew to the windowsill, chirping as if urging Angel to eat quickly.

Without further ado, Angel used his spiritual power to tear off a small piece of the fruit’s flesh and popped it into his mouth.

Chewing a couple of times... it wasn’t bad, but it was rather bland. The texture was like a flavorless banana, soft and sticky.

As soon as Angel finished, he heard Toby’s celebratory chirping. Turning around, he saw Toby immersed in a plate of fragrant small fish fries, joyfully gobbling them down.

Angel was puzzled as to why Toby was so happy and was about to say something when Toby unexpectedly brought a small fish fry to Angel, offering it to him.

Angel was surprised at Toby’s generosity; normally, Toby wouldn’t share even its regular small fish fries, let alone the ones made by Asaz.

Although he didn’t understand what got into Toby, Angel felt a sense of gratitude.

However, just as Angel prepared to taste the small fish fry, his hand suddenly stopped.

Why am I so full? To the point where food made him feel nauseous.

The small fish fry he was holding was quietly placed back. Toby’s eyes gleamed, and it flew away with the small fish fry.

Angel suspiciously looked at Greya: ”What’s going on?” He felt there was a significant connection between his feeling of fullness and Toby’s peculiar behavior.

Greya: ”The effect of the Sticky Sprout Tree fruit is that you won’t feel hungry for at least a month. You won’t feel full generally, but as soon as you try to eat, the feeling of fullness floods in.”

Angel: ”...So?”

Greya shrugged: ”Toby asked me to make it, so I don’t know the reason. But I have a hunch.”

”It might be worried you’d compete with it for small fish fries, so Toby decided to fill your stomach beforehand.”

Although Greya said it was a guess, Angel felt that could be the truth... Back when Asaz was making the small fish fries for Toby, Toby noticed him. At that time, Toby had no intention of appearing, probably wary of Angel trying to steal the fries. It even went the extra mile to ask Greya to create a Sticky Sprout Tree to prevent Angel from having a chance to taste the fries.

Now Angel understood why Toby was so excited and cheering earlier.

He initially thought Toby had changed its ways, but now realized that its mind was just working faster...

Hearing Toby’s jubilant cries in the Mana Hut, Angel only felt helpless. Oh well, he hadn’t planned to compete with Toby for the small fish fries anyway, though he remained curious about the taste of Asaz’s creation.

Angel shook his head and stopped dwelling on Toby’s actions, returning instead to the previous question.

Mentioning Lydia, Greya’s expression noticeably darkened: ”That woman still hasn’t given a clear response.”

”No response? Is Lydia considering going back on her word?” Angel frowned. When the parasitic incident broke out in Night Demon City, Lydia had promised that if Angel entered the city and rescued a living Moya clansman, she would grant him a fair trading opportunity.

At that time, Angel was merely an apprentice, and Lydia offering him a fair trade was already the most significant concession she could make.

So Angel agreed, and he fulfilled his part of the bargain.

Eventually, Lydia agreed that as long as he provided 3 million Magic Crystals, she would return the Eyeless Man to him.

Greya: ”She hasn’t reneged, but from the way she talks, it seems she has something else she needs to discuss with you, which is why she avoids directly addressing the trade topic.”

”Discuss with me?” Angel: ”Should I perhaps talk to her?”

Greya shook her head: ”No need, you’ve already helped me a lot. Houston is a staff member at my restaurant and I will naturally ensure his safety. I’ve already arranged with her that when the Tea Party takes place, and she arrives at Barbarian Cave, I will personally discuss it with her. If she dares to go back on her word at that time...”

Greya squinted her eyes: ”I will show her what consequences that will entail.”