Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2771: Chapter 2772: Rabbit Girl

The so-called ’wait a little longer’ naturally refers to waiting for the upcoming ”test”.

However, before they could react, the Black Earl broke the silence first: ”No need to wait... It’s already here.”

Everyone instinctively turned around, only to see that in the corner on one side of the corridor, there had somehow appeared a girl with an innocent and adorable look.

Her attire matched her image well, clad in a rabbit outfit, with rabbit ear hair clips on her head, and a carrot-shaped satchel slung over her shoulder, exuding childishness and innocence.

Regarding the appearance of this rabbit girl, no one paid too much attention, as they believed that she, like the previous Bard and Astrologer, was merely a ”test machine”. But what type of test she would present was unknown.

The Bard’s question revolved around an inexplicable poem, while the Astrologer’s question concerned the interpretation of an astrological sign.

Lining up their attire seemed to reveal the direction of their questions.

Following this idea, could the rabbit girl’s test be related to small animals?

While everyone was pondering, the rabbit girl did not take any further action but crouched in the corner like a radish squat, resting her chin on both hands and tilting her head as she gazed at... Angel.

No one was surprised that the rabbit girl watched Angel.

Prior to this, the Bard paid attention only to Dox, the Astrologer only to the Black Earl, so it’s normal for someone to specifically notice Angel.

What everyone was more concerned about was, this rabbit girl seemed to be without a ”mask”? Normally, wasn’t there supposed to be a third broken mask?

Moreover, why was she silent? Previously, both the Bard and Astrologer were proactive in speaking up, though their words were hardly pleasant—merely aimed at ”posing a test”—yet they took the initiative to speak. This little girl, however, hadn’t uttered a single word, and no one knew when she appeared; if it weren’t for the Black Earl’s reminder, they might have overlooked her existence.

”Is she mute? Or is she waiting for you to greet her?” Dox said to Angel in the Mind Ribbon: ”It’s normal for kids to be shy, so it’s your turn to take the initiative!”

Dox’s tone was filled with instigation, not because he discovered any trick but simply wanted to witness Angel’s reaction. In his view, although this child’s attire seemed cute, appearing here was abnormal. Presumably, she was either a mischievous child or an unruly one.

No matter which, dealing with them is invariably difficult. Therefore, encouraging Angel to communicate was merely for entertainment.

However, the upcoming events disappointed Dox somewhat because after scrutinizing Angel for a while in silence, the child suddenly turned around and disappeared.

And before she vanished, she threw out a broken mask from her carrot satchel.

This clears up the previous puzzlement. She wasn’t without a mask; she merely carried it in her satchel instead of wearing it on her face.

Yet while this question dissolved, new confusion arose: what about the test?

Why was there no test? She just silently stared at Angel for a moment and left the mask behind. What’s going on here?

”Why is that?” Dox repeated in the Mind Ribbon: ”Why can you get a mask without doing anything while we and the Black Earl had to painstakingly solve problems?”

Just as Dox finished speaking, Vay murmured beside him: ”It was Kaier who solved the problems, actually.”

Dox: ”Nonetheless, I did exert effort, at least I wrote something! Yet he did absolutely nothing, didn’t even speak. It’s not fair!”

Though Dox was theatrically accusing, his words indeed sparked curiosity among the group.

This little girl’s behavior differed significantly from the previous two!

”Could it be, valuing appearances starts so young?” Vay muttered.

Dox retorted: ”What are you thinking? If it’s truly about appearances, I’m much more handsome than him!”

Regarding Dox’s confident remark, Vay’s agreement was another matter, but one thing was certain, appearance-wise, Dox was indeed slightly better than Angel, who used shapeshifting technique.

At least, Dox was neatly dressed whereas Angel currently sported a somewhat forlorn and lazy look.

As for comparing Angel’s true form with Dox, that was harder to judge.

Because, presently, they didn’t know what Angel’s true appearance was like.

Previously, everyone believed Angel’s true appearance was the blonde hair and blue eyes depicted in magazines. But earlier when the Wise Sovereign used the True Words Tome to project Angel’s real visage, though the specific contour wasn’t clear, it definitely wasn’t the magazine picture.

Thus, this topic lacked comparability.

Seeing Vay and Dox debating over ”who looks better”, the always silent Black Earl finally couldn’t help but speak: ”There’s no need to discuss this topic. Whether to present questions or not, tests or no tests, is beyond our control.”

The Black Earl’s words set a tone. With this established, everyone stopped arguing.

Only then did Angel speak: ”I understand your doubts, but the Black Earl is right, the girl’s unusual behavior is not up to me to decide.”

”There are only two things I can tell you: First, the girl’s satchel contains not only a mask but also the derivative of a Wood Spirit. Meaning, the creature we sensed earlier must be her. Second, the masks are complete now.”

The first fact is not particularly crucial. They knew from before that she certainly possessed a derivative of the Wood Spirit. The main concern is, if the Wood Spirit derivative is with the rabbit girl, then who were the prior Bard and Astrologer? What’s their relation with her?

These mysteries remain unsolvable for now, only shelved temporarily.

The second fact, on the other hand, demands immediate attention. Evidently, the mask holds a special significance.

Now, with the final piece of the broken mask found, this special significance might soon be revealed.

”Could this mask be the surprise the Wise Sovereign mentioned?” Dox wondered.

Vay: ”Probably.”

Watching Angel piece together the last fragment of the broken mask, Dox hesitated slightly: ”If it’s truly a surprise, a single mask seems too little... There aren’t enough for the three of us.”

Vay, somewhat speechless, replied: ”You don’t even know what this mask is, yet you’re already thinking about distribution?”

Dox, unfazed by Vay’s sarcasm, patted Vay’s shoulder: ”You must understand, this is the reality in the Wizards’ Realm. Regarding issues of interest, if you don’t speak up, you risk being deliberately ignored.”

Dox had just spoken when he received a glance from Angel, and the Black Earl looked at him through his nostrils.

Dox hurriedly coughed: ”I’m not talking about you guys, I’m just passing on some...experience... to little Vay.”

Angel didn’t say anything, just gave Dox a deep look. The Black Earl straightforwardly cast a Silencing Charm on Dox, sealing his mouth with a big red X.

With Dox’s ability, he could break this silencing seal, but ultimately he didn’t do so. He just slightly protested with his eyes before backing up to Vay’s side.

A few seconds later, Angel finally pieced together the mask left by the Rabbit Girl.

When the three fragments of the mask were assembled, they seemed to have a magical property, blending with each other. In an instant, the cracks disappeared, revealing a complete mask to everyone.

The mask appeared quite ordinary, at least, aesthetically it fell far short compared to the mask of the Gray Merchant and his underlings.

Indeed, calling it a human face mold would not be inappropriate.

Its overall color was greyish-white, sized according to normal specifications, with three-dimensional features but lacking distinct traits. The eyes, mouth, and nose had no openings. —— This is a trait often seen in the Wizards’ Realm, not needing to breathe through the nose, not eating, not needing eyes to see, it’s basically standard for a mature transcendent being, so the mask is straightforwardly made without such features. Unlike Angel’s right-eye-derived mask, which is quite unusual.

”Sir, does this mask have any special effects?” Vay asked curiously.

Previously, in the eyes of everyone, this mask was just an ordinary item except for its somewhat baffling material. But the scene where the mask fused itself just occurred right before their eyes, proving it was no ordinary item.

Angel shrugged nonchalantly: ”I don’t know, you have to wear it to find out.”

Having said that, Angel looked at Dox: ”Do you want to try it on?”

Dox’s eyes suddenly lit up, but quickly showed signs of wariness. There were obviously many people present, and Angel himself could try it on, yet he chose to focus on him... There must be a trick! Definitely a trick!

Based on Dox’s understanding of Angel, there was definitely something off here.

Thinking of this, Dox, although somewhat curious about the mask’s effect, still made a gesture of resistance.

Angel squinted slightly but said nothing. Yet this calm demeanor made Dox feel even more confident that his choice was correct.

The Black Earl spoke up then: ”Earlier, you said this is Old Stone?”

Angel nodded: ”Yes, the entire mask was made from Old Stone. So, the mask should have inherited some effects from Old Stone, but Old Stone is a very peculiar material, its trait is determined by the holder.”

Black Earl: ”What do you mean?”

Angel: ”This requires discussing the effects of Old Stone.”

”In the materials that I’ve read, Old Stone is described as a ’living’ stone, and it has effects similar to prolonging life.”

”Living stone, similar to Stone Spirit?” Black Earl asked in confusion.

Angel shook his head: ”Not at all.”

If it were truly like Stone Spirit, Angel would directly say it is a type of living stone, or a rock-like organism.

But Old Stone and these stone-natured creatures are actually different, it lacks life, yet it possesses memory.

Its memory comes from the holder.

The most basic effect of Old Stone is actually life extension. As long as you carry Old Stone with you, your life, your time, everything is fixed from the moment you start carrying Old Stone.

After that, as long as you continue to carry Old Stone, your life will be fixed in that state without aging.

And the concept of ’old’, which comprises time and experience, is recorded and replaced by Old Stone.

It is also because Old Stone replaces the holder’s aging, it was named ’Old’ Stone.

The holder won’t age because of Old Stone, but there isn’t an absence of side effects either. Throughout this process, Old Stone records all the holder’s experiences, which translates to—memory.

In the Wizards’ Realm, a certain faction defines living as possessing memory. They believe that memory is the essence of all life, as long as memory exists and can continually expand, then that is living, and living implies you have life.

So, according to this faction’s definition, when Old Stone possesses memory, conceptually, it is the ’living’ other you.

Whether this definition is right or wrong isn’t up for discussion now. But once Old Stone gains memory, some changes indeed occur.

Initially, Old Stone only had the effect of prolonging life, but once memory exists within Old Stone, such memory can be referred to as living and can become power.

And this power of memory is derived from the holder. So, when Old Stone exhibits special effects besides life extension, determining its exact effect is difficult, as it depends on what the holder experienced.

”Ah, I see...” Vay showed a look of realization: ”Then, in that sense, Old Stone can serve as a medium for knowledge inheritance?”

A wizard’s experience is also a process of knowledge accumulation and digestion. If these memories are recorded by Old Stone, wouldn’t that be a form of alternate inheritance?

Angel: ”That depends on how much memory Old Stone has recorded.”

Vay: ”Ah, what do you mean?”

Angel smiled, not responding. Instead, the Black Earl at the side said: ”If a holder carried Old Stone for ten thousand years, what effect would another face?”

Angel: ”Probably be overwhelmed by the torrent of ten thousand years of memories and directly become a fool.”

At the moment Angel finished speaking, Dox’s eyes became wide open, his finger tremblingly pointing at Angel. Although he didn’t say anything, the accusation was apparent.

Angel smilingly said: ”If not ten thousand years, but several decades or a hundred years, as long as your brain can bear it, the inheritance Vay mentioned isn’t actually impossible. So, it’s quite a precious opportunity.”

Vay directly rolled his eyes, turned his head to sulk.

”If someone really wore this mask for ten thousand years, then we shouldn’t wear it casually either?” Vay asked.

Angel: ”Wearing the mask for ten thousand years was just an example given by Black Earl, I simply went along with it. But I never said it could actually be worn for ten thousand years.”

”Old Stone doesn’t offer unlimited life extension, it depends on the quality and mass of Old Stone. This mask’s quality and mass are quite good, but saying it can last ten thousand years, it probably won’t reach that extent.” Angel paused, then added: ”I estimate a thousand years is even unlikely.”