Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2543: Chapter 2544: Return to the Black Market

Looking at Dox’s face full of excitement, there was no doubt that this guy was addicted to watching drama.

”If Esos truly wanted to test Kaier, he wouldn’t send me. And besides, you know Kaier better than I do. Do you think he needs testing?”

Dox thought seriously for a while, then said, ”Besides his love for research, Kaier doesn’t have any other bad habits...Oh wait, he often owes bar tabs at my bar. That’s worthy of testing, right?”

Angel couldn’t be bothered to respond, he just looked at Dox silently until Dox awkwardly laughed, ”Haha, I’m just trying to lighten the mood.”

”Esos sent me to see Kaier for another task. It’s explained in the letter. If you really want to know, you can ask Kaier about it yourself when we get back, see if he’s willing to tell you.”

After Angel finished speaking, he remained silent.

The gondola moved swiftly, and before long they had passed through the lush forest, entering a landscape of yellow sand.

Although Dox could be annoying, one had to admit that in a sea of yellow sand, trying to find the right path without Dox’s help would probably cost twice as much time.

By the time they reached the black market outside the Sandworm Market again, the sun was directly overhead.

Seeing the vividly lush cactus, Angel instinctively took a step back, and Dox also stepped back a tad more than Angel.

Just as Angel was about to say something, Dox cut him off, ”Don’t start with how you paid the entrance fee last time, and it’s my turn now. I’m here to accompany you; you’re the one looking for Kaier, so I won’t pay.”

Angel was silent. He had indeed been about to suggest they take turns paying...

Since Dox refused to pay, Angel had no choice but to put on a smile and retrieve Dangross from his bracelet.

As soon as Dangross appeared, he said, ”Is it safe now? I told you, I’m not afraid of danger, so don’t put me in the bracelet next time. It’s dark and boring in there, and Heideland ignores me...”

Yes, before heading to the Princess Castle’s dungeon, Angel had put Dangross in his bracelet to avoid dealing with his curiosity and endless questions, using the excuse of danger.

”It’s safe now, see? We’re back in the Principality of Rasukoum,” Angel said with a smile, ”Dangross, I have something to discuss with you. Do you still have that little sandworm I gave you last time?”

After a while, the cactus, having absorbed 10 drops of sandworm blood, contentedly opened the black market gate.

Angel walked in first, followed by Dox.

Looking at Dangross on Angel’s shoulder, with a pained expression while comforting the little sandworm, Dox was speechless.

Through the Mind Ribbon, Dox said, ”Even the gifts for your elemental companions are recycled. The famous Transcendental Wizard is actually so stingy.”

Angel: ”Well, it won’t die from losing a little blood.”

Dox continued through the Mind Ribbon, ”True, it won’t die, but it has already given blood twice, its foundation is unstable. Even if it grows into an adult worm, its appearance will be affected. Also, aren’t you afraid your elemental companion might lose attachment to you because of this?”

Angel initially wanted to explain that Dangross wasn’t his elemental companion. But thinking about it, a Fire Elemental Sprite traveling alone without an owner might attract many would-be captors, so he decided to let it go.

”Lose attachment? Impossible, Dangross’s most admired idol happens to be another one of my companions. It’s not here now, but I can introduce you next time.”

Dox: ”Are you talking about that little bird that always follows you?”

The little gray bird that always accompanied Angel was no secret in the Wizards’ Realm. Some gossip magazines even conducted in-depth analyses of the bird.

Of course, they found nothing. They only concluded that it might be Angel’s secret weapon, as he would not carry an ordinary bird around.

The ”secret weapon” conclusion, in some ways, was indeed true.

With the purification from the Life Pool, Toby could now freely shift into its snake bird form, and in gryphon form, Angel already struggled to fight it. When Toby turned into the snake bird form, Angel hadn’t battled it yet, but the chances of winning weren’t high.

Angel: ”If you meet next time, don’t call it ’little bird’. Its name is Toby.”

Dox: ”So, Dangross worships Toby?”

Angel: ”Uh-huh, is there a problem?”

Dox shook his head and said no more.

A strange severed hand worships a little gray bird. Dox just thought the world was very peculiar.

They walked through the bustling black market and soon reached the former Magic Blood Ore pit, now Kaier’s residence.

As usual, Angel touched the space node and waited for Kaier to open a Spacial Portal.

He expected a long wait, but to his surprise, Kaier appeared in just two minutes.

At this moment, Kaier looked more haggard than when they last met, his dark circles almost like smokey eye makeup, hair messy, and clothes wrinkled.

Seeing this, Dox sighed and threw a boosted Cleansing Spell at Kaier.

Kaier gladly accepted it, even slicking back his bangs with his hand, achieving a simple, comb-free hairstyle.

”Once this guy gets into research, he even saves the magic power for Cleansing Spells. Each time, it’s others who can’t stand it and cast Cleansing Spells for him. However, outside of research, he’s quite normal,” Dox explained to Angel in a low voice.

After speaking, Dox looked at the now-tidy Kaier, ”Have you solved the problem on the envelope?”

While opening the spacial portal and gesturing for everyone to enter, Kaier proudly replied, ”Of course. You don’t know, this time the question was a trick within a trick, it even tested my psychological blind spot. Mentor is indeed a mentor.”

Seeing Kaier about to launch into a lengthy explanation, Dox casually said, ”The final answer was hidden in the trap, right?”

Kaier immediately paused, looking at Dox in shock, ”Lord Dox, how... how did you know?”

”I’m an Official Wizard, after all.”

Kaier realized, of course, Official Wizards have deeper insights and can effortlessly solve space problems.

However, Kaier’s admiration only lasted a second before hearing Dox say, ”So if I can’t solve it, I can ask other Official Wizards for help, right?”

”Isn’t that right, Wizard Lyon?”

Angel: ”...”

Kaier realized, ”So Wizard Lyon also understands space problems? Is Wizard Lyon in the Space Series too?”

Kaier’s eyes suddenly lit up as he spoke: ”I understand now! Did Mentor Esos arrange for Wizard Lyon to guide me in space research? It must be the case, right?”

Angel remained silent, while Dox chuckled quietly on the side.

After a while, Dox leaned over to Kaier and said, ”Haven’t you already solved the riddle? Why haven’t you opened the letter from your mentor yet?”

Kaier responded righteously, ”Since it’s delivered by Wizard Lyon, I must open it in front of him. That’s the rule.”

Dox rolled his eyes speechlessly; who came up with such a rule?

When they returned to the initial ruins hall, Kaier finally took out the envelope from Esos.

Just as they thought Kaier was about to open it, he approached Angel to inquire how Angel deduced the answer to the question.

Angel couldn’t exactly say he had just received a bundle of advanced spatial knowledge from the Dalmatian, which made tackling such questions a matter of high-dimensional crushing low-dimensional.

However, it was merely theoretical knowledge that had reached its peak. In practical application, he was no match for Kaier by a long shot.

Since Kaier’s question was theoretical, Angel thought for a moment and offered some pointers.

A difference in perspective leads to a variance in insight; Angel’s casual guidance led Kaier to gain much.

When Kaier looked at Angel again, he already regarded him with the respect due to ”the space mentor specially sent by Esos.”

Angel did not express much, just smiled and gestured to Kaier that he could now open the letter.

Kaier didn’t dawdle this time, breaking the wax seal and taking out a parchment.

Dox tried to sneak a peek at the parchment’s content; however, a glance showed it was an encrypted letter, and the symbols were completely unreadable, belonging to the Space Series language.

Angel could understand it, but he didn’t need to read it to know its contents; he was curious about what Esos had asked him to refine for Kaier.

As Kaier began reading the letter, his expression remained normal at first, but gradually turned more bizarre. When he put down the letter, he looked at Angel in shock.

”You, you... aren’t a space mentor?”

Angel: ”I’ve never said I was a space mentor.”

”You’re also not Wizard Lyon?”

Angel: ”Well, it’s quite normal to use a pseudonym when out and about.”

”Are you... Transcendental Wizard? The new member from the Research and Development Institute? Enchantment System Alchemy Master?”

Angel: ”Yes, it’s written in the letter, isn’t it? What else do you wish to know? Feel free to ask so we can save some time.”

Kaier shyly replied, ”I... am just too surprised. I didn’t expect the famed Transcendental Wizard to have such a profound understanding of space as well.”

”It’s natural for Official Wizards to have diverse research fields,” Angel said, eyeing Dox at the side.

Dox turned away in annoyance.

Angel: ”Alright, let’s put aside the idle chatter. Lord Esos should have explained the situation to you in the letter; now it’s time to move on to the main topic.”

Kaier instinctively nodded.

Angel paused briefly, ”Before we carry on with the main topic, does anyone need to excuse themselves?”

By ”anyone” — Dox, who was acting flirtatiously towards Kaier.

Kaier thought for a moment, then said, ”It doesn’t matter if Lord Dox stays, since he can’t understand it anyway.”

Dox’s face fell; ”...You didn’t have to say the latter half, and you’re underestimating me.”

Kaier quickly explained, ”I don’t mean to underestimate you, Lord; it’s just that the content above is about...”

Before Kaier could finish, Angel suddenly said, ”Since Red Sword Wizard is so confident, why not make a wager? Kaier, let him take a look at it first. If he can solve it, that would be great; you can grant him the reward promised by Lord Esos in the letter. If not, Red Sword Wizard might consider compensating Kaier with something of equal value to the reward by Lord Esos.”

Kaier’s eyes lit up as he looked at Dox with expectation.

Dox looked at Angel: ”You’re pretty good at stoking fire, aren’t you?”

Angel looked innocent, ”I am helping you; how can you let Kaier underestimate you?”

Though Kaier dared not nod, his eyes showed everything.

Watching their play, Dox now understands, Kaier’s claim of ”he definitely can’t understand,” is not unfounded. Evidently, the content goes beyond his knowledge scope.

Thinking of this, Dox said, ”Lord Esos has devised a challenge that’s unfathomable to outsiders; it’s expected. Forget the wager, let’s delve into the main topic then, I’d like to broaden my horizons.”

Kaier was a bit disappointed but seeing Angel remain silent, he unwillingly accepted the outcome. Originally, he hoped to find some resources from Dox; even scraps from Official Wizards could make him progress significantly. Pity.

Yet, Kaier didn’t know, even if Angel continued to push or subtly mock, Dox wouldn’t accept the wager. Dox is adaptable, and he possesses a talent Angel envied — Spiritual Perception.

Seek Good Fortune and Avoid Disaster; Dox is the strongest Angel has seen, except for Prophet Wizards.

Since the main topic was resumed, Angel put away his earlier casual attitude and seriously said, ”Lord Esos mentioned an item he needs me to refine for you, and the blueprint seems peculiar; is it true?”

Kaier also nodded solemnly: ”Yes, this alchemy blueprint was acquired during my travels. My mentor reviewed it, saying the Magic Pattern on it belongs to Enchantment Alchemy, which he couldn’t unlock. Moreover, this blueprint has a self-destruction mechanism; if the activated Magic Pattern fails, the real blueprint within would be completely destroyed.”

”This is why my mentor dares not attempt to unveil the blueprint’s secrets lightly.”

Angel: ”Apart from the external Magic Pattern mechanism, do you know specifically what this alchemy blueprint is?”

Angel was most puzzled by why, instead of unlocking the Magic Pattern which is necessary to reveal the blueprint, Lord Esos assigned the task of refining the item on the blueprint.

Could this imply that Esos and Kaier might already know what’s inside?

”I do know what the blueprint is; however, the story is long. Once you see the blueprint, you’ll understand.”