Chapter 1299 The Commission <TOC> Chapter 1301 The Detective's Letter
Translator: SumTLMan
Ever since that fateful night, Pasha seemed perpetually lost in his thoughts in the subsequent days.
His daily routines remained the same, sitting on the doorstep of his home, taking drags from his pipe and engaging in endless debates over trivial matters with his neighbor, Dim. But during his free moments, he would find his gaze drifting unconsciously towards the direction of Pat Manor, pondering over the circumstances inside.
On this particular noon, with Dim away at the furnace forging a new set of farming tools, Pasha, devoid of his bantering partner, didn’t take his usual seat at the door after lunch. Instead, he absent-mindedly peeked through a slightly opened window in his home, staring blankly in the direction of the estate.
“At your age, with your frail health, you still let in a draft during this bitter cold,” a faint voice chided from behind him. Turning around, he saw Auchanchan perched atop the glass shade of the oil lamp.
“I’m just concerned about Angel,” Pasha sighed, absentmindedly tapping some ash from his pipe into a potted cherry flower plant on the windowsill. “By the way, the young lord had summoned you all into the estate a few days ago. What did he want? How are things inside?”
Auchanchan casually replied, “I wasn’t present, but I heard they were just preparing a feast to welcome young Master Pat home. I asked my kin who went, and they mentioned the estate is holding up well for now.”
“That makes sense. If things were truly dire at the estate, the young lord wouldn’t have called us back. I suspect, given this trajectory, it won’t be long before we can return to our village.”
Upon hearing Auchanchan’s hopeful words, noticing Pasha’s distant expression, he hurriedly added, “It’s not that I disdain the attic of your quaint abode. It’s just our village took a lot of effort to build. Even if I go back, I’ll still come by and visit you now and then.”
With a chuckle, Pasha retorted, “I’m not bothered whether you all return to the village or not.”
“Then why wear such a forlorn expression…”
Pasha, with a contemplative tilt of his head, gestured to the distance and mused, “I’ve observed that there seems to be some movement at Pat Manor. It appears as though someone has emerged.”
Upon hearing this, Auchanchan sprang into action with a swift elegance. With a soft rustling sound, reminiscent of autumn leaves caught in a gentle breeze, she was already perched on the windowsill before Pasha could even react.
Standing on a leaf of the cherry flower, Auchanchan peered outward.
“It does indeed seem like there are visitors at the mansion. Could there be more than one?” Just as Auchanchan’s puzzlement grew, pondering how so many could be at the manor at this time, he witnessed the group of ‘people’ suddenly taking flight, darting through the clouds and the vast expanse of the sky.
One of these ‘individuals’ zoomed past the rooftop of Pasha’s residence. They gazed upward, only to find something amiss.
The so-called ‘person’ was but the height of a five or six-year-old child. While their form resembled a human, their face was expressionless, shimmering with a metallic sheen.
“It doesn’t appear to be a living being. It looks like the alchemical constructs that Rococo once mentioned,” Auchanchan postulated with a hint of uncertainty.
“Rococo? Is he from your tribe? Why haven’t I heard this name before? And what are these alchemical constructs you speak of?” Pasha inquired with genuine curiosity.
In a succinct manner, Auchanchan elaborated, “Rococo possesses a natural talent for the magic arts and has embarked on the path of wizardry. As for the alchemical constructs, you can think of them as marvelous creations by wizards.”
Being a renowned scholar in Grud Town, Pasha caught on quickly, “Ah, magical constructs like mechanical devices? So, they don’t possess life?”
Auchanchan’s brow furrowed ever so slightly, “I’m uncertain. But beyond these philosophical quandaries, what I truly yearn to understand is why so many of these wizardly creations are emerging from the manor. What could be their purpose?”
Meanwhile, within the grand hall of Pat Manor.
Angel approached the window, drawing back the concealing drapes, and beheld arrays of alchemical automatons soaring across the heavens.
“Suis has set the wheels in motion,” Angel whispered gently, “Yet, the reach of these alchemical constructs is confined. Can we truly locate Rolando through them?”
“Given the operational range of these alchemical constructs, we should expect results shortly. We’ll have our answer soon enough,” Sanders casually remarked from the comfort of a rear couch. Yet, from his slightly dismissive tone, it was evident that he harbored little hope for Suis’s current endeavor.
Angel released the curtain, “Indeed, let’s see how this unfolds.”
Upon returning to the grand hall, Angel took a seat opposite Sanders. Intending to discuss Jon’s status, he was about to initiate conversation when he sensed a tiny head peeking in from the entrance.
At Angel’s glance, the intruder was visibly startled, fluttering wings in a hasty retreat.
Approaching the hall entrance, Angel deduced the visitor’s identity from the lingering, subtle fragrance in the air.
On the floor lay a bottle of nectar wine, beneath which was a tucked note.
Picking up the nectar wine, Angel set it on the table, “It’s from the Moon Bellflower Fairy. They left a note inquiring about when Toby might awaken.”
While conveying this, Angel gently extracted Toby from his pouch. Toby was inert, but beneath the soft feathers, there was a hint of warmth and the reassuring rhythm of breathing — signs that Toby still held onto life.
“Toby’s vital signs remain stable. However, I’m concerned about whether he can rouse from this tribulation,” Angel voiced his anxiety.
Sanders reassured, “The worst of the doom curse has passed. Things will only get better. If Toby doesn’t awaken once matters here are settled, perhaps seek out Gloria at Black Castle.”
Though Sanders suggested this, deep down, he believed that even Gloria might be at a loss for solutions.
When adversity gripped Toby, the true test lay in his own resilience and fate’s caprice. Outsiders may strive to lend a hand, yet at times, such aid can backfire, inadvertently drawing them into the maelstrom of misfortune.
Angel released a weary sigh, acknowledging the paucity of alternative solutions at present.
To the inquiry of the Moon Bellflower Fairy, only a negation could serve as an apt response.
Setting aside Toby’s predicament momentarily, Angel and Sanders delved into Jon’s current state, subsequently meandering into discussions about their respective spiritual progressions.
During which, Sanders exhibited keen interest in the specific ‘Spell Position’ Angel had opted for.
Angel’s response, mirroring his prior reticence, deepened the shroud of mystery, fueling Sanders’s burgeoning curiosity about his choices.
As their conversation approached its denouement, Angel prepared to retreat to his chambers. He planned to seclude himself for a period in Suis to seek out Rolando. Before departing, he inquired of Sanders, “Mentor, do you intend to venture into the ‘Wilderness of Dreams’?”
Sanders shook his head in negation, “Not for the time being. I aim to delve deeper into Jon’s condition. Moreover, I suspect that my ‘Dream Entry’ spell will soon reach fruition. When that time arrives, I’ll personally put it to the test.”
In the ensuing days, the manor teemed with alchemical automatons, causing a significant stir.
So conspicuous was the commotion that not only Pasha but the lion’s share of Grud Town’s denizens took heed.
Not every townsperson was privy to the existence of wizards. Their unease grew, fearing some unforeseen mishap had befallen the manor. Leon, in response, made a day-long appearance in Grud Town, crafting a tale of an “inventor” to allay their concerns.
Despite the considerable hustle and bustle, discernible results seemed conspicuously absent.
Although Angel was presently not focusing on the movements of Suis, he dutifully practiced every day, learned new spells, constructed the Gateway Model, and during his free moments, would delve into the tomes Sanders recommended to him, enriching his knowledge foundation.
Among these, the construction of the Gateway Model was quite stable. However, the most impactful was learning the new spells, particularly those of the fire element. Even without harnessing the power of the Source Fire, whenever he delved into fire-related spells, the Source Fire within the mark on his earlobe would instinctively amplify his understanding, granting him profound insights in a short span.
Had he not been on the Old Land Continent, where elemental energy was nearly depleted, his progress might have been even swifter.
Even without invoking the Source Fire, he reaped such benefits. One could only imagine the surge of growth he’d experience when he finally started studying the Source Fire in depth!
Now, Angel understood why almost every wizard was utterly captivated by the Source Fire.
In addition to this, he had another pressing task: cultivating the Morphing Softworm.
From the manuscript left by “Heart of the Swarm” Iscariot, Angel gleaned the various factors involved in cultivating the Softworm.
Thus, while dealing with Softworms, he began to introduce new variables to stimulate the egg-laying of the Worm Mother. With new variables acting as the “internal concerns” and the Dreamweaver Ant as the “external threats”, their combined effect was quite pronounced.
After a long hiatus, new types of eggs finally began to appear.
However, even knowing the different variables, the process from egg birth to hatching was time-consuming. From when he started stimulating the Worm Mother in the Savage Grottoes to now, there had only been two instances of egg births: one being of the regular kind, and the other, A New Breed of Worm Egg.
After being nurtured for some time, the day for the new variant egg to hatch finally arrived.
Having waited for the better part of the day, a lustrous, deep-black worm finally emerged from the egg.
Judging by its color and sheen, it was completely different from previous Softworms… However, there were noticeable discrepancies between this and the Morphing Softworms as described in the books.
It seems, once again, no Morphing Softworm has come into existence.
Yet, if this Softworm’s mutation offers promising effects, it undoubtedly holds intrinsic worth.
Regrettably, after a period of careful evaluation, Angel discerned a downside. Instead of being a Softworm strengthened in defense, it might be more apt to dub it a “Hardworm.”
This so-called “Hardworm,” however, loses the advantages inherent to Softworms. In Angel’s eyes, this evolution skews negatively.
Because no matter how rigid the shell of the “Hardworm” might be, the distinction lies between a firm pinch and a slightly stronger squeeze.
Hence, under Angel’s deliberate control during the daily boundary wars, the Dreamweaver Ant effortlessly defeated the Hardworm. To imprint this lesson on the Worm Mother, Angel even manipulated a regular Softworm to parade the Hardworm’s corpse outside the partition where the Worm Mother resided, vividly showcasing the fragility of the Hardworm.
By the time the Hardworm’s remains were nearly devoured, Angel commenced introducing new variables into the nest.
Meanwhile, a week had elapsed since Suis utilized alchemical puppets in search of Rolando.
Chapter 1299 The Commission <TOC> Chapter 1301 The Detective's Letter