Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 3274: Chapter 3275: Reunion After a Long Separation

A slender hand, full of bony elegance, reached out from within the curtain and gently parted it from the middle.

As the curtain opened, the figure of the person inside was revealed.

It was a tall, stern man, with a slim and elongated build. He wore a tuxedo, similar in style to the staff outside, but his tuxedo was white in color, appearing very understated. Yet, upon closer observation, one would find that the cold white knit fabric was covered in dense, dark silver embroidery.

So, it appears low-key, but it is indeed not.

Along with his handsome face and the neatly combed silver short hair, the overall impression exudes elegance.

Of course, all of this presupposes ignoring the drooping dog ears atop his head and the fluffy tail hanging behind him.

After lifting the curtain, he instinctively looked down at Little Red first. Upon confirming she was fine, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then lifted his gaze to the figures behind Little Red.

When he saw clearly the people behind Little Red, he suddenly froze.

During those few seconds of his stunned state, Angel could clearly see his eyes shift from scrutiny to surprise, eagerness, and delight mixed with a hint of grievance.

Until Laplace softly spoke: ”Long time no see... Meatball.”

He suddenly snapped back to reality, somewhat flustered, and nodded to Laplace: ”I, I didn’t expect you would come... Long, long time no see.”

Seeing Laplace, his speech even became somewhat mixed and stammering.

Little Red then curiously glanced at Laplace.

She had vaguely felt before that Laplace exuded a similar vibe to Dog Brother, sensing some kind of connection between them. This was the reason she willingly brought Laplace and the others along, and it seems her judgment was correct.

However, Dog Brother’s excited expression still surprised her.

What is the relationship between Hair Sister and Dog Brother?

Could it be... like the prince and princess relationship in her storybook? Thinking of the book hidden under her pillow, Little Red’s cheeks couldn’t help but blush slightly.

Little Red’s expression didn’t catch the crowd’s attention; Dog Deacon sensed Little Red’s inner thoughts, but right now, it didn’t care to bother with Little Red’s storybook, as all its focus was on Laplace.

In a certain sense, Laplace is not only its lifesaver but also its only kin in this world.

It knows Laplace doesn’t like bustling scenes, so it always refrained from disturbing Laplace too much. However, its longing for Laplace has never ceased.

Precisely because of this, when it saw Laplace appear before it, the sudden surge of excitement instantly overflowed its heart.

Even its hands were trembling, unsure where they should be placed.

On the other hand, Angel also noticed the other’s excitement. He had been guessing whether this person was Dog Deacon, and from Laplace’s greeting and the apparent excitement, it could be confirmed that this person must indeed be Dog Deacon.

Dog Deacon’s excitement is not only reflected in the trembling body but also in the suddenly perked ears and the tail behind, swaying like a large windmill.

Angel even thought if the tail swayed any faster, it might just fly into the sky.

”Hey, hey, you can’t just wag your tail; we came to find you for something, shouldn’t you invite us in to talk?” Luigi saw Dog Deacon silent for a long time, so he simply stepped forward, breaking the long-lost reunion atmosphere.

Dog Deacon naturally recognized Luigi; hearing his words, its emotions indeed calmed a bit.

It originally thought Laplace came specifically to see it, but... it seemed it had misunderstood.

Though this thought only lingered in its mind for a second or two before disappearing.

No matter the reason for Laplace’s arrival, just seeing Laplace is a surprise for it.

”Sir, forgive my negligence, please follow me.” Dog Deacon gently lifted the curtain and respectfully addressed Laplace.

However, Laplace did not immediately enter but silently bowed down, looking at the nearly shadow-like tail swaying behind Dog Deacon.

If Dog Deacon’s tail merely drooped, it wouldn’t affect much. But now it’s almost spinning and flying, occupying a significant portion of the doorway.

Initially, Dog Deacon didn’t understand Laplace’s intent until it lowered its head, realizing its tail was unconsciously swaying.

Its cheeks flushed, stammering: ”I, I didn’t notice before...”

Laplace remained silent for a moment and slowly replied: ”It’s not your fault.”

Dog Deacon strived to control it, but no matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t stop the subconscious swaying.

This is an instinctive action.

Thinking it through, Dog Deacon gently retreated, its eyes flashing a silver-white light. The light appeared for a brief moment, enveloping its body.

The next second, amidst the flickering light, Dog Deacon’s long body began to shrink slowly. Shortly, it transformed from a two-meter-tall human form into a less than a meter tall pure white puppy.

The dog’s breed was indistinguishable, though it leaned a bit towards a bean dog.

The cold white tuxedo also shrank accordingly, worn on its body, not seeming abrupt but rather having a cute and cuddly vibe.

Only the shiny leather shoes disappeared; now, when Dog Deacon walks on the floor, it no longer produces a dull sound but turns into a ”tap-tap-tap” rhythmic beat.

In the form of a dog, even with the tail still subconsciously swaying, it no longer obstructed the path.

The group then flowed into the Steward House.

...

The decor within the Steward House was very simple, even simple enough to be called frugal.

Solid wood floors, along with several wooden furnishings.

Only in the guest room was there a white carpet laid out, accompanied by some simple decorations.

At present, Dog Deacon was seated at a secondary position at the long table in the guest room.

—The main seat was vacant.

Originally, Dog Deacon hoped Laplace would occupy the main seat, but Laplace had no intention of assuming the primary seat, sitting opposite Dog Deacon at a secondary position instead.

Angel and Luigi sat on either side of Laplace.

Little Red, who brought them here, was then instructed by Dog Deacon, transforming into a temporary maid, bustling about serving teacups.

The brief pleasantries didn’t suppress the fervor within Dog Deacon’s heart. Yet, it noticed Laplace seemed to have something to say, restraining its urge to continue expressing its longing, it proactively asked: ”Sir, your reason for coming today, may I know what it is? I will do my utmost to assist.”

Even before Laplace could articulate the exact matter, Dog Deacon proactively offered its help, showcasing Laplace’s significance in Dog Deacon’s heart.

Laplace: ”I indeed have some matters needing assistance, though they’re not mine, but this person’s...”

Laplace turned to look at Angel.

Angel immediately understood and took the initiative to introduce himself.

It was only at this point that the Dog Deacon first set his eyes on Angel. Although Angel had cat ears on his head, the Dog Deacon could sense that Angel was a pure human.

Faced with Angel, the Dog Deacon instinctively wanted to use his talent to see through Angel’s thoughts.

However, just as the Dog Deacon was preparing to use his talent, Laplace suddenly gazed at him.

Laplace knew of his abilities and had even studied the source of his abilities before, being familiar with some small gestures he made when activating his powers.

During that time of study, a mere glance from Laplace told the Dog Deacon what he needed to do.

And now, Laplace’s gaze was stopping him from using his abilities.

Though the Dog Deacon did not know Angel’s background or the relationship between Laplace and Angel, he obediently followed Laplace’s demands, suppressing his desire to investigate, and listened intently to Angel’s words.

What Angel spoke about was naturally related to Sipolov.

Initially, Angel only planned to ask about Sipolov’s location, but under Glaipnir’s advice, Angel revealed his entire reasoning for seeking Sipolov.

Including his interest in Heartfire, Angel did not conceal this point.

According to Glaipnir, Sipolov could at most give you the chance to contact his backer, using this to draw closer to Heartfire Hall. But if you want to gain Heartfire’s approval, even Sipolov cannot help you.

And the Everything House has a comprehensive understanding of the tribes within the Daylight Mirror Domain; their knowledge of various energy systems is detailed, and they might have even studied the Heartfire of the Yingji Clan.

Therefore, Glaipnir suggested that Angel should not hide his ambition for Heartfire, but rather make it known, as the Dog Deacon might be able to offer assistance in this area.

Angel narrated very completely and thoroughly, and after the Dog Deacon listened, he did not respond immediately but fell into deep thought.

To outsiders, it seemed as if the Dog Deacon was pondering Angel’s narrative. But in reality, the Dog Deacon was not thinking about Sipolov or the Yingji Clan’s Heartfire; he was contemplating Laplace’s relationship with Angel.

Because in the Dog Deacon’s view, neither Sipolov nor Heartfire were significant issues, not even requiring combat; they could be solved just by convincing words. And that is why he felt puzzled.

Is such a matter worthy of deploying Laplace’s avatar?

Luigi and Glaipnir can both handle it, right?

What is Angel’s identity to deserve Laplace’s attention?

According to Angel’s own account, he comes from the Southern Domain and is an Alchemist. He acknowledges that Alchemists are rarer talents, even being honored guests at the Everything House.

But simply these characteristics, are they really enough to attract Laplace’s attention? With Laplace’s level of existence, would she really care about Alchemy from the Southern Domain?

Or is this human related to Naraku City?

The Dog Deacon knows of the existence of the Wise Sovereign, and also knows the Wise Sovereign’s favor to Laplace. If Angel is related to the Wise Sovereign, things would be explained.

But is that really the answer?

Perhaps it was the Dog Deacon’s prolonged silence that made Laplace guess his thoughts, so she pondered and proactively spoke: ”You may ask any questions you have now.”

Laplace proactively offered a way out, and the Dog Deacon naturally followed the lead.

The Dog Deacon nodded, adopting a formal expression.

To the Dog Deacon, his expression seemed solemn. However, to Angel, given his current canine form, even the most solemn of bean dogs carried a hint of naivety.

Angel was also embarrassed to look directly into the Dog Deacon’s eyes and could only avert his gaze.

Luckily, the Dog Deacon did not notice Angel’s expression. At this moment, his eyes were focused only on Laplace: ”I do indeed have a question for you, my lord. Why are you helping Angel?”

Directly asking in front of Angel was somewhat impolite. However, in the Dog Deacon’s view, whether he was rude to Angel was unimportant; what mattered was Laplace’s answer, which would determine how far he would help Angel.

Laplace: ”Angel is my most important collaboration partner.”

Laplace purposely emphasized the word ”most” to express her stance.

The Dog Deacon was silent for a moment, then nodded: ”I understand.”

Although he still did not know what had transpired between Laplace and Angel, the Dog Deacon recalled that when he inquired about the relationship between Laplace and the Wise Sovereign in the past, Laplace never used the word ”most.”

This clearly showed Laplace’s serious regard for Angel.

Since Laplace valued Angel so much, the Dog Deacon decided to fully assist Angel.

He looked at Angel: ”I can first help investigate Sipolov’s position.”

While speaking, the Dog Deacon summoned Little Red.

The Dog Deacon removed the bell from his neck and handed it to Little Red; this was the token representing the Deacon himself, possessing high authority. With this token, it was sufficient to inquire about Sipolov’s location.

As Little Red bounced away, Luigi couldn’t help but voice his curiosity: ”Is this Little Red your direct investigator?”

The Dog Deacon nodded: ”Yes.”

Luigi: ”Does she have some special abilities like you?”

The Dog Deacon pondered for a moment and said: ”Did Little Red say anything strange on your way here?”

”Not exactly strange...” Luigi briefly recounted events during their journey.

The Dog Deacon: ”Your guess is correct. Little Red’s sense of smell is indeed special; she can detect certain unique information. However, the information she detects might not be a deep scent, but a peculiar intelligence that only she can decode.”

From different people, the scent or the intelligence Little Red picks up is actually distinct.

The stronger or more mysterious the person, the harder it is to decode their scent.

She can smell that both Laplace and Luigi have a similar scent to the Dog Deacon, but it ends there; she cannot discern deeper scents or layered information.

The scent on Angel, undoubtedly, was produced by the recent evil witch blessing magic.

Apart from this, longer-existing scents, Little Red did not derive anything more.

Due to restrictions and the random nature of information obtained, this ability is not as strong as Luigi imagined. Yet in some aspects, it is uniquely advantageous.

For instance, analyzing Empty-hearted People, interpreting corpses, etc...

After being washed by the Sea of Void Mirror, many things disappear for the Empty-hearted People, including memory and consciousness. But Little Red can use her special ability to smell some extraordinary scents that others might miss, which, once interpreted, might reveal unique information about the Empty-hearted People.