Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2105: Chapter 2106: Love in the Cloud Sea

The waiting time was not long, and soon, a slight fluctuation appeared on the light screen.

Rosen disappeared from the screen, replaced by a humanoid light spirit emitting a faint blue glow. Although his features were unclear, the noble butler-like standard tone revealed the identity of the visitor.

The guardian spirit of the Creation Hall, Antonio.

”Good day, Mr. Pat.” Antonio greeted Angel.

Angel returned the greeting as well.

”I have learned about your request from the City Lord. Lady Regina has just returned from her class at the Academy and is indeed resting within the Fantasy Mechanical City now.” Antonio hesitated for a moment: ”When Lady Regina moved into the Research and Development Institute, she instructed me that if anyone other than Lord Muse needs anything, they should not disturb her. Therefore, I cannot directly help you contact her.”

Although Antonio’s response was negative, Angel could sense that he implied something more.

”Cannot contact her directly? Then are there other indirect ways?” Angel asked.

Antonio nodded: ”After returning from the Academy today, Lady Regina went to Lady Portia’s room.”

Portia? Angel remembered, during the observation ceremony when he was admitted to the Research and Development Institute, Portia participated via a Void projection, sitting beside Angel.

Portia hailed from the Hill of Silence, adept in Scent and Potionology, single-handedly created a triangular congruency structure, solving an inherent flaw in the Shuya balance formula. According to Master Midora, before Angel joined the Research and Development Institute, Portia was acclaimed as the Alchemist closest to the mysterious ranks.

”You mean...” Angel looked at Antonio. Since he mentioned this, did he want Angel to contact Portia? Would Portia agree to meet him?

”Lady Portia recently returned to the Research and Development Institute and inquired about you, seeming interested in communicating with you.”

Antonio’s words reminded Angel of when Portia mentioned her interest in discussing Enchantment Studies at the observation ceremony. Initially, he thought it was mere polite exchange, but it now seemed she was genuinely interested in Enchantment Studies?

No matter why Portia wanted to delve into Enchantment Studies, Antonio’s intention was clear; if Angel sought out Portia, she would surely agree, and currently, the only way to see Regina immediately might be through Portia.

”When Lady Regina leaves the Research and Development Institute, I can help you make contact. According to the Ashiliya Comprehensive College’s schedule, her next ’Mushroom Treatment’ class is in 13 days.”

Angel knew Regina was a witch with a deep fascination for mushrooms, nearly always at home researching them. Since she had returned to the Research and Development Institute, she likely wouldn’t leave. To contact her alone, it might only be possible in 13 days.

The crisis of the mist was imminent, and no one knew when it might erupt from the Star Pond Ruins.

Thirteen days seemed short, but variables could arise midway.

Angel pondered for a moment and decided to contact Portia to seek out Regina.

He had brief contact with Portia before; Angel felt Portia was a gentle Alchemist, even among the many witches he met, she belonged to the mild category. She probably wouldn’t mind him using her to contact Regina for such a trivial matter, right?

After Angel stated his request, Antonio did not say much more, spreading a mental wave to contact Portia.

After a while, Antonio opened his eyes on the other side of the light screen: ”Lady Portia has agreed to meet with you, and I will use myself as a medium to project the image.”

Angel: ”Then I’ll trouble you.”

As soon as the words fell, Antonio’s figure gradually disappeared. Meanwhile, on the other side of the light screen, a vague image appeared, which quickly solidified into reality.

The other side of the screen abruptly turned into a sea of golden clouds.

Among a fluffy Cloud Island, there was an endless Lake Tian like a vast ocean.

The slanting sunlight cast upon Lake Tian, creating shimmering golden ripples, resembling a golden sea.

And in the center of this sky lake, suspended a crystalline palace, translucent and pure. On the balcony of the palace’s top floor, two witches dressed in exquisite veils, half-reclined on leisure chairs, basked in the twilight sun and exchanged tea, appearing very leisurely.

These two witches were naturally Portia and Regina.

Angel looked at the scene on the other side of the image, feeling a moment of disorientation. He had been to the Fantasy Mechanical City, and more than once, but where was such a vast Cloud Island, or such a leisurely golden sea in the clouds?

Moreover, didn’t Antonio mention that Regina was in Portia’s ”room”?

Is this... a room? Angel suddenly paused, something dawning on him. His gaze wandered across the balcony and finally settled on the small table between the two witches, where lay two objects he was very familiar with.

One was a very elegantly packaged deck of cards, and the other was a box with a peculiar appearance.

Seeing this box, an expression of realization flashed across Angel’s face. The box’s appearance was almost identical to the Cage of Shadows, meaning this must be a Shadow Box.

And with the Shadow Box still active, the environment of the golden sea in the clouds was undoubtedly a real illusion created by the Shadow Box.

On Portia’s side, a light screen also appeared, showing Angel’s expression from astonishment to realization.

Portia’s age seemed fixed in middle age, yet her face bore no signs of the weariness of a middle-aged woman, exuding a mature charm beyond a youthful girl.

Portia set down her teacup, laughing softly: ”Little brother Angel, we meet again. I thought I would be the one to seek you out last, but I didn’t expect you to take the initiative to come to me.”

Before Angel could respond, Portia curled her lips into a teasing grin and said: ”Your expression just told me you probably already know that this is a scene within the Shadow Box. As the creator of the Shadow Box, why not give your review of this Shadow Box?”

Though he guessed the truth, Angel still felt slightly peculiar.

He had previously heard that the Shadow Box was popular among the witches in the Sky Mechanical City, and there were even private tea parties exchanging Shadow Box experiences. But at the time, he merely listened and didn’t pay much attention. Now seeing it firsthand, even Portia had a Shadow Box, proving its genuine popularity.

”Through a screen, I can’t see much. However, from what I can tell, the level of the illusion is quite impressive, at least I haven’t seen any flaws yet.” Angel paused: ”However, no matter how well the scene is constructed, it’s only one of the Shadow Box’s strengths, the core lies in its storyline and the language of the illusion.”

The so-called illusion language is essentially the content expressed through the lens. Having good scenes is one thing, but how to express the story’s content within this illusion is no longer a technical matter but an artistic one.

Portia: ”What you mentioned is exactly what a soul witch from Extinguished Torch Academy, who pursued the art of expression, explained at a tea party I attended last time.”

”Unfortunately, my appreciation for art isn’t very high. I just simply like this scene. In such an environment, chatting with friends and playing cards is very enjoyable, isn’t it? So, I didn’t trigger the illusion language of this scene.”

Angel could also see that Portia and Regina were simply looking for a chatting atmosphere, not treating the shadow box as an art form.

”Speaking of which, this theater shadow box is the work of that soul witch. Since your brainwave frequencies are consistent, perhaps you might also like the story in this shadow box. Do you want to see its story?” Portia added.

Before Angel spoke, Portia continued: ”The content of this play is actually quite good. It’s said to be original, titled ’Love in the Cloud Sea.’ It tells the story of the lofty City Lord at the end of the Cloud Sea and his love entanglement with a mortal woman.”

Just as she finished speaking, the light screen made a ”zzzz” sound.

Soon, Antonio’s voice came through like an off-screen commentary: ”Lady Portia, it’s best not to talk further about the merits of this story.”

Portia curved her lips into a sly smile: ”Alright, it seems someone doesn’t want me to tell this story.”

Angel said nothing, but he roughly understood the current situation. The so-called ’Love in the Cloud Sea’ seemed to be a metaphor for City Lord Rosen.

After all, it’s rumored that City Lord Rosen once fell in love with a mortal woman, and Melisa the witch is the result of this transcendent love.

Though it seemed he was talking to Portia, in reality, it was through Antonio acting as a medium, projecting the situation in Portia’s room onto the light screen. The real scene had Rosen sitting across from Angel.

Talking about ’Love in the Cloud Sea’ in front of Rosen, no wonder Antonio would suddenly interrupt.

However, even excluding the fact that this play was a metaphor for City Lord Rosen’s romantic history, Angel was still not interested. Just hearing the name, you could tell it was a love drama. Watching such a play in a theater might be fine, but experiencing it holographically through a shadow box seemed a bit off.

”Back to business. What brings you to me?” Portia asked with a curious look: ”I heard you’ve already returned to the Barbarian Cave, and the current tea party is about to take place there. Did you come to me to ask for help in crafting scents?”

The thematic atmosphere created by the scent is indispensable for tea parties, big or small. That’s why Portia guessed as such.

”However, Lianna is also quite knowledgeable about scents. Given her personality, she probably wouldn’t use someone else’s scent at such an important event, would she?”

Faced with Portia’s inquiry, Angel hesitated for a moment but decided to be straightforward.

”To be honest, I mainly wish to meet with Regina the witch this time. I heard she was with you, so I asked Antonio to help contact you,” Angel said apologetically, as it indirectly involved using Portia. If they were close, it might’ve been fine, but he and Portia weren’t that familiar to be above caring about such things.

After listening, Portia squinted, making it difficult to discern her expression.

Just when Angel thought he might have offended Portia, she suddenly burst into laughter.

”You apologized at the start, so I thought it was something serious. Turns out you’re just looking for someone. It’s not a big deal. Why so formal?”

Portia’s words made Angel feel even more embarrassed.

Portia waved her hand: ”Alright, I just happen to have some business with you as well. If you really feel that embarrassed, just don’t cut the signal too soon later.”

Angel nodded.

Portia didn’t say much more. After exchanging a few words with Regina sitting beside her and seemingly obtaining her agreement, the light screen quietly focused on Regina.

Regina appeared quite young, but there were dark circles under her eyes, making her look both poisoned and like a shut-in who hadn’t rested for days.

She wore a thin veil with pink mushroom patterns, leisurely lounging on a recliner. When she saw Angel, she just nodded slightly, appearing lazier than the role Angel recently played.

”What’s up? Tell me,” Regina said. After her words, she seemed to have thought of something else and added, ”Since you’ve come to Portia, it must be urgent, right? Do you need me to go to the signal tower to contact you privately?”

Angel shook his head: ”No need for such trouble.”

Once the phantom mist erupts, it will be like live wires, completely unhideable. If someone is determined, they will surely find out, so there’s no need for intentional secrecy.

”I mostly hope for Regina the witch to help with something this time around.”

Regina smiled lightly, slowly drinking from a teacup on the table: ”Looking for my help is fine. However, the price you might have to pay could be significant.”

Angel: ”I wonder if Regina the witch has heard of the ’Live Wire’?”

”I think I’ve vaguely heard of it.” Regina turned to the side, and Portia’s voice came through, discussing information related to the ’Live Wire.’ Apparently, the ’Live Wire’ matter had traveled from the Pamiji Plateau to Sky Mechanical City.

”Oh, I remember. It’s a type of special infectious disease.” Hearing the information from Portia, Regina immediately recalled the relevant details and looked toward Angel: ”You mentioned the ’Live Wire’ to ask me to help with this? Didn’t the intelligence say that the Barbarian Cave had already found a cure for the ’Live Wire’?”

Angel: ”The ’Live Wire’ indeed has a cure now. But I mentioned it to talk about its source.”

”The source of the ’Live Wire’?”

Not only was Regina curious, but Portia also perked up her ears. After all, secret news is prime material for tea party conversation!

”Yes, the source of the ’Live Wire’ is a special kind of mushroom.”

”Its name is ’Phantom Performance.’