Chapter 1512 Enlightenment <TOC> Chapter 1514 Heightened Perception
Translator: SumTLMan
Moreover, this time around, Angel also took the opportunity to bring along Shirley.
For Shirley, the benefits that come from the “Rhythm of the Ocean” are absolutely the most lucrative part of her journey to Sky Mechanical City.
Shirley is, after all, Farina’s student. Although she was brought along as an afterthought, she still gained an immense advantage. While pondering how to reciprocate Angel’s kindness, Farina had to also consider this factor.
After a moment of contemplation, Farina’s gaze unconsciously drifted towards Fingernail Granny, who seemed completely at ease.
She remembered that during a prior conversation with Fingernail Granny about Angel, she had mentioned that Angel seemed to be searching for something.
Hesitating for a moment, Farina said, “I heard that you’re looking for a rune scroll that increases luck attributes?”
Angel was immediately interested and nodded without hesitation: “Yes, do you know where I can find one, Lady Farina?”
Farina gently nodded, “I have an old friend who has a rune scroll that increases luck attributes.”
“May I know who it is?” Although Angel was overjoyed, he kept his emotions in check. First, he needed to confirm the identity of this person. If it turned out to be Velite…
Just as Angel was considering this, Farina said: “My old friend is a wizard from Western Demos, named ‘Twilight’s Gleam’ Velite.”
The joy in Angel’s heart instantly froze: “So it’s him after all.”
Seeming to catch the shift in Angel’s tone, Farina questioned, “Do you also know Velite, Wizard Pat?”
At this moment, Fingernail Granny softly said, “I remember that Velite had gone to the Abyss before, and wasn’t it around that time that Angel also went to the Abyss?”
Angel nodded, “Velite and I were the last batch to accompany the Frost Moon supply team into the Abyss. Because of this, I had mentioned to him the possibility of exchanging for the Scroll of Luck.”
“However, what he requires is something difficult for me to obtain.”
Farina asked, “What does Velite want?”
“A Fragment of Constant,” Angel replied.
Upon hearing this, Farina’s lips twitched, “That old man really is asking for the moon.”
The value of a Fragment of Constant surpasses that of an elusive Scroll of Luck by a significant margin. Just a few Fragments of Constant could be transformed into a full-fledged Wizard Garden — a strategic-level object. In contrast, a Scroll of Luck only lasts a few seconds, and luck itself isn’t an absolute concept. When compared, the Scroll of Luck falls far short.
“Even if I could afford a Fragment of Constant, they are basically priceless at the moment,” Angel sighed.
Farina pondered for a moment, “In that case, I will head over to the communication tower later and discuss this with Velite again.”
Angel nodded at Farina, “Thank you very much.”
“No need to thank me,” Farina said. “After all, I owe you a great favor today. Besides, I think you don’t even need me to go talk to him. If you approach him now, he should consider your offer, given your current standing.” After all, Angel used to be just a potential seedling, but now he is an actual formal wizard and a formal member of the Research Institute. Velite would be foolish not to adapt to the changing circumstances.
After discussing Velite’s matter, Farina glanced at Fingernail Granny, who was lowering her eyebrows on the side.
She paused, then continued, “I don’t know why you want to use the Scroll of Luck. But as a colleague, I still have to remind you——”
“Luck is relative. Sometimes, bad events may not necessarily lead to bad outcomes, and good outcomes may not necessarily result in good consequences. The world is too full of variables.”
“If you intend to use it for alchemy, I would strongly advise you against it if you can avoid it.”
Angel cast a glance at Fingernail Granny, who had once advised him not to use Scrolls of Luck in alchemy, especially when crafting Mysterious Objects.
Clearly, Fingernail Granny seemed to be privy to some secrets; perhaps someone had once crafted Mysterious Objects using similar methods. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gone out of her way to caution him.
Now, the Water Ripple Witch had also specifically emphasized this point, and Angel naturally understood its significance.
He nodded solemnly and said, “Thank you for the reminder; I’ll exercise caution.”
Farina, having only become acquainted with Angel today, chose not to elaborate further on the topic after seeing his response.
“I returned to Sky Mechanical City primarily to create an alchemical work related to the ocean. Experiencing the Rhythm of the Ocean today holds great significance for me,” Farina sincerely said. “Thank you for facilitating this, Wizard Pat.”
Angel replied, “It was the least I could do.”
After expressing her gratitude, Farina let out a wry smile, “However, the Rhythm of the Ocean now stands as an insurmountable mountain before me. Surpassing it won’t be easy.”
Farina said it wouldn’t be easy, not that it couldn’t be done. This in itself was a reflection of the pride she took in being an alchemist.
Then Farina started to engage in small talk, discussing alchemical topics that could potentially strengthen their relationship. Fingernail Granny was more than happy to encourage the conversation.
The atmosphere of the entire tea gathering was harmonious and spirited. However, Angel hadn’t taken a single sip of tea, mainly because the term “bathwater” kept popping into his mind.
The only person who seemed out of place at the tea gathering was Shirley, dressed as she was like a magician.
Her emotions were quite complex.
Shirley was very apprehensive when facing Angel, fearing she would be held accountable for her previous “borrowing” actions. At the same time, she felt a measure of gratitude towards Angel for allowing her to experience the Rhythm of the Ocean, a wondrous thing… Amid these mixed feelings, there lingered a smidgen of resentment; had Angel not deceived her, she wouldn’t have been caught by Carvelyn.
However, after realizing Angel had set her up, all Shirley could do was swallow her complaints. After all, she couldn’t defeat Angel, even with her mentor’s influence behind her.
Shirley had never reflected on her own mistakes.
As the tea party drew to a close and Farina prepared to say her farewells, Shirley finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Even though Angel was younger than her, Angel’s aura was so overpowering that she dared not make a move. This atmosphere made the usually vivacious Shirley quite uncomfortable, and now the tea party was finally over.
However, just as Shirley prepared to leave with Farina from Fingernail Alchemy House, Angel suddenly spoke, “Shirley, your name is Shirley, right?”
Shirley’s spine stiffened instantly, and she looked up at Angel awkwardly, “Lord Pat…”
Angel smiled, “We’ve met before, haven’t we? Have you forgotten?”
As Angel spoke, a veil of mist swirled around his face, making him appear exactly as Shirley had seen him underwater.
Since Angel had mentioned this, how could Shirley pretend not to recognize him? She awkwardly said, “So it was Lord Pat before; I didn’t notice…”
Seeing Angel smile but remain silent, Shirley’s expression changed instantly, revealing a look of remorse, sincerity, and genuine contrition.
“I’m sorry, I really didn’t know it was Lord Pat at the time!”
Farina looked at Shirley, her eyes tinged with an inquisitive light.
Angel watched Shirley’s performance, which could be described as professional-grade, and listened to her tearful apology. He silently mused that she fit the style of the Torch Institute quite well. Her acting skills were remarkable, and even when changing her demeanor right in front of him, she had almost swayed him.
Farina hesitated for a moment and asked, “Wizard Pat, has Shirley offended you before?”
Angel shook his head, “No, it’s just an interesting little interlude.”
“Yes, a little interlude, a small misunderstanding!” Shirley immediately seized the opportunity to agree.
However, in the next second, Angel said, “She was just trying to steal something from me.”
Shirley’s face stiffened instantly. Looking at Farina’s grim expression, she stammered, “I wasn’t stealing; I was just… borrowing it for a look.”
Farina, who knew Shirley’s character all too well, understood that what she called “borrowing” was nothing more than a self-serving excuse.
Normally her mischief would be tolerable, but Farina hadn’t expected that this time Shirley would dare to steal from Angel. Farina felt even more incensed than when Shirley had previously been discourteous.
“This is Shirley’s fault. I will give Wizard Pat a satisfactory explanation,” Farina said, her face clouded over, glaring at Shirley.
Angel, however, waved it off, “As I said, this is just a small interlude; there’s no need to be overly harsh on Shirley.”
Though Shirley internally agreed, she dared not speak up this time, fearing Angel might take another jab at her.
“However, I do have some questions I would like to ask Shirley.”
At this point, Farina naturally hoped to defuse the situation. She nodded and told Shirley, “Hold your silver tongue.”
In her heart, Shirley muttered to herself: She wouldn’t dare lie in front of a formal wizard anyway.
“What were you trying to steal just now? What is it?” Angel voiced his curiosity.
“It’s the very item in your breast pocket. I thought I had stolen it, only to realize it was an illusion,” Shirley responded.
“Do you know what I have in my pocket?”
Shirley shook her head. “I don’t know, but I can sense that it’s something rare.”
“Why?”
Shirley hesitated for a moment before replying, “I sensed a ripple in the emotional force field. Though subtle, it contains a significant emotional power.”
Shirley’s answer seemed a bit esoteric, but Angel could see that she wasn’t lying.
Moreover, Shirley had previously mentioned when “borrowing” Alan’s Beast-Slaying Knife that it was an item filled with emotion. Angel hadn’t understood at the time, but combining that with what Shirley had just said, he seemed to grasp something.
“You can sense emotional force fields?”
Shirley nodded. “To be precise, the power of emotions.”
Angel remained silent for a moment, then slowly opened his breast pocket. Inside, contrary to Shirley’s description of “something,” there was only a bird dressed as a panda doll.
As Shirley looked, the bird sitting in the palm of Angel’s hand met her gaze with its deep red eyes and blinked innocently a few times.
Chapter 1512 Enlightenment <TOC> Chapter 1514 Heightened Perception