Translator: SumTLMan
The appearance of Pat Manor became a sanctuary for the newly arrived servants.
Even Head Maid Mana and Knight Swatch couldn’t help but flash long-missed smiles.
Soon, everyone’s residence was arranged. Jon even moved back to the stilt house. Inside it, Angel placed some books documenting the extraordinary world, allowing Jon to study in his free time.
Once everyone was settled, Angel prepared to leave.
Upon his departure, Ollie cautiously approached and inquired, “My lord, Head Maid Mana mentioned that the Viscount still retains your rooms. Does this mean you’ll be visiting here often?”
Hope shimmered faintly in Ollie’s eyes, her question echoing the curiosity of the other servants.
From a distance, even Mana cast them a longing look.
Angel and Leon exchanged glances and nodded affirmatively, “Of course! This is Pat Manor, our home.”
Their response brought instant relief to everyone. For them, while Pat Manor was undoubtedly a safe haven, the true pillars of their spirit were their two masters.
With this arrangement of the servants concluded harmoniously.
Angel was the first to return to reality, while Leon, in a rare move, lingered in the Wilderness of Dreams. His lingering guilt hadn’t completely faded; he wanted to spend more time with them, seeking a brief solace.
Upon returning to reality, Angel found himself on the rooftop terrace. He leaned against the railing, gazing over the mansion that lay tranquil and dark under the night sky. The gentle glow of the lunar wheel cast a silver blanket over the serene estate.
Distant trees danced with the shadows, and the tiny lights of Grud Town twinkled, aligning with the stars in the horizon.
At this moment, the turmoil in his heart finally settled into a peaceful stillness.
Upon the morn of the second day, Eureka awoke from her deranged slumber, and together with White Bear, sought out Angel. She uttered a plethora of cryptic phrases. Perhaps it was gratitude, thanking Angel for reuniting her with White Bear, or maybe an apology, expressing remorse for those servants long interred beneath the earth.
Subsequently, perhaps driven by guilt, Eureka, accompanied by White Bear, momentarily departed the mansion. To where, even Angel remained in the dark. However, it’s likely they remained on the Old Land Continent, for Suis frequently visited Leon during the day, imparting wisdom, and departed come nightfall.
A week thence, Sanders also took his leave.
Sanders’ abrupt departure caught Angel somewhat off guard.
According to Sanders, he intended to journey to the Seventh Province of the Stone Sanders Dynasty. An old acquaintance resided there; he’d heard she might possess a scroll that augments one’s luck attribute.
Though merely a rumor, if there was a grain of truth to it, Sanders planned to either trade or borrow it under the pretext of research.
In doing so, there’d be no need to trade with Velite, the lion with a voracious appetite, using the Fragment of Constant.
Simultaneously, the Seventh Province boasted a vast wizard market, its affluence rivaled only by Sky Mechanical City. This wizard market was renowned as——The Steampunk Theme Park.
Sanders intended to stop by, searching for resources that might aid in Jon’s salvation.
Both of Sanders’ reasons for leaving were intertwined with Angel’s affairs. Angel felt a twinge of embarrassment. He contemplated joining, but Sanders decisively declined the offer.
Judging by the timeline, even if the —Mirror— publication hadn’t been released, news of Angel’s existence would likely have spread. Now was the zenith of the Frost Moon Alliance’s fervent search for Angel. Should Angel make a public appearance and word of it leak, even Lord Mengke might personally embark on a quest for him.
Thus, it was more prudent for Angel to remain in Pat Mansion.
“To err on the side of caution, I’ll leave a demon falcon here.” Sanders paused for a moment, “Then, you forge a Login Device and hand it to the demon falcon. If anything goes awry at the manor, the demon falcon will swiftly make its way to the Wilderness of Dreams.”
“As for me, I’ll also leave a demon falcon in the Wilderness of Dreams for communication. This way, we can exchange information, ensuring I can rush back immediately if needed.”
It was precisely the existence of the Wilderness of Dreams as a communication medium that gave Sanders the confidence to leave at this time. Should any misfortune arise, he can promptly return using the planar passage.
Subsequently, Sanders briefed on some minutiae, like issues regarding Popoca, and the journey to Black Castle and so on…
Once everything was settled, Sanders opened the planar passage and departed from the estate.
Angel, acting on Sanders’s instruction, crafted a high-quality Login Device for the demon falcon left behind, capable of logging in up to 979 times.
Needing the aura of the Blood Night Sanctuary to cloak himself from being detected by prophecy wizards, Popoca didn’t accompany Sanders. Instead, he now remained at the manor, spending long hours within the Geometric Lock.
To make the most of what they had, Angel took out the Softworm Nest and drafted a mutation chart, letting Popoca tend to the Softworms according to its details.
With Popoca’s assistance, a load was lifted off Angel’s shoulders. He only occasionally checked on the specific conditions of the Softworms, logging the progress and results, while mostly leaving the rest to Popoca.
For the rest of the time, Angel was wholly devoted to constructing the Gateway Model. Even research on the green rune in his right eye, and matters of the Source Fire, were postponed.
Time, in this span, flowed gently by.
While Angel was engrossing in his practices, Transformations were underway in the manor.
Due to some undisclosed reasons, both Eureka and Suis had left the mansion, and with Rolando still trapped within Suis’s Exile Space, the looming threat of the Scarlet Sovereignty began to wane. Consequently, Leon summoned back the servants he had temporarily released, including members of the Kulakuka clan, who returned to the newly established village within the tea plantation.
The mansion, having been neglected for a time, saw its immediate restoration as the first order of business upon their return.
With the skilled Kulakuka craftsmen at the helm, the restoration work progressed at an impressive pace.
The once desolate estate buzzed with life once more.
Though the death of Head Maid Mana and others cast a somber shadow over the mansion, the balm of time would heal many external scars. Only cherished memories and indelible moments remain etched forever in one’s heart.
Everything was on the mend, rekindling the sparkle in Leon’s eyes that had been absent for some time.
Occasionally, when reminded of Head Maid Mana and the others, Leon would journey to the Wilderness of Dreams. ——Angel, while crafting a login device for a demon falcon, had also made one for Leon, with 979 login opportunities. Compared to the previous one-off login pocket watch, there was no immediate concern about exhausting the number of logins on this new device.
As reality improved, the lives of Head Maid Mana and her companions in the Wilderness of Dreams began to stabilize.
On ordinary days, they would embark on tasks assigned by Freud. These assignments introduced them to a plethora of dream realm inhabitants. Notably, Freud had meticulously chosen tasks that brought them in contact with individuals of gentle and kind demeanor.
Thus, in a short span, they re-established their social circle.
Embracing new friendships, while they occasionally reminisced about their lives in the real world, they began to adapt to the rhythm of life here.
Ollie too made numerous friends, including Jon’s two new students——Alda and Sunny, as well as the brothers Labu and Lado, among others… Given the more relaxed pace of life here, under the influence of these newfound friendships, her demeanor grew even more vivacious than it was in reality.
Certainly, life beyond the estate carries its own rhythm. When everyone eventually returns to Pat Manor, be it Head Maid Mana, Maid Ollie, or Shepherd Franz and Gardener Gran, they all resume their duties, maintaining the estate’s order as steadfastly as reality demands.
Awaiting the return of Leon and Angel.
Perhaps for them, life within the estate and beyond its gates represents two different philosophies. One signifies adapting to the new chapters of life, while the other is a testament to their unyielding commitment to the essence of days gone by.
Regardless, from Leon’s perspective, their evolution seems to be progressing in a promising direction.
…
Two weeks after Sanders’ departure.
Angel encounters Sanders in Initial Heart City. They’ve established a routine of meeting in the city every few days, primarily to share updates about their respective situations.
Atop Azure Tower, a demon falcon cries out, circling the sky twice before landing gracefully on Sanders’ shoulder.
While gently playing with the demon falcon, Sanders remarks to Angel, “Still constructing the Spell Position today?”
Angel nods. He spends most of his time now constructing the Gateway Model. When his magic is depleted, he meditates, and post-meditation, he resumes his cultivation.
Raising an eyebrow, Sanders muses. It’s been nearly half a month, and whenever they meet in the Wilderness of Dreams, Angel’s answer remains unchanged. Yet, Sanders hasn’t seen any tangible outcome, which piques his curiosity about what sort of magic model Angel is constructing.
However, Sanders refrains from inquiring. Previously, Angel had subtly indicated that even if questioned, he wouldn’t reveal anything.
After all, the choice of one’s Spell Position is a deeply personal matter for a wizard, and Sanders wasn’t inclined to pry. Yet, secrets like a Spell Position can’t be hidden forever. Sanders plans, under the guise of training, to challenge Angel to a duel. By then, he’ll discover the mysterious workings of Angel’s chosen Spell Position.
“Did you meet the esteemed Lady Hydra today?” inquired Angel.
‘Hydra’ Astria was an enigmatic wandering witch. Rumor has it that she hailed from the Bliss Pavilion. During her apprenticeship, she embarked on some audacious experiments, which prematurely aged her, robbing her of youth and vigor. This transformation led her to depart the sanctum of the Bliss Pavilion, embracing the life of a nomadic witch.
However, upon leaving the Bliss Pavilion, Astria’s powers surged exponentially. In a mere span of thirty years, she ascended to the ranks of a formal wizard and now stands at the pinnacle of first level wizards.
Astria happens to be the old friend Sanders has been seeking during his visit to the Seventh Province.
According to Sanders, he knew Astria back when she was still an apprentice. The exact nature of their acquaintance, however, is a story Sanders hasn’t divulged.
“Astria did come out of her seclusion today,” Sanders said with a shake of his head, “but her response to me was negative. She doesn’t have the Scroll of Luck.”