Chapter 1561 Scroll of Luck <TOC> Chapter 1563 Drama Shadow Box
Translator: SumTLMan
Is it a natural attraction that exists only among mischievous kids?
“A peculiar friendship,” Angel muttered under his breath and then paid no more mind.
The course of the competition had nothing worth elaborating upon. Cherie dominated, leaving no trace of Loki behind.
The only remarkable part was perhaps when Loki’s white-sand rhinoceros was scorched until it turned black. The image of Loki sobbing uncontrollably while holding the rhinoceros’ neck was quite a scene.
Paired with Cherie’s unmerciful act of hanging Loki upside-down in the air, Angel felt somewhat sorry for him. However, as Loki’s mentor, Leon found it extremely entertaining and even commented, “What a wonderful sight. I must capture this moment for future enjoyment.”
Ah, a very authentic mentor-disciple relationship, thought Angel.
The competition concluded amidst Loki’s sobs. Cherie turned and left without a second thought, while Loki, with a sorrowful expression, leaned on his battered white-sand rhinoceros and headed towards Hermes.
Leon planned to rendezvous with Loki and point out the mistakes he made during the competition, so he and Angel parted ways. Watching Leon hastily striding away, Angel couldn’t shake the feeling that Leon’s agenda might not just be limited to correcting Loki’s mistakes. Perhaps, Leon also planned to mock Loki while his tears were still fresh? After all, emotional involvement matters too.
Angel then left the spectator stands and made his way through the judge-exclusive passage to the backstage area.
He was preparing to meet Cherie.
The backstage area was spacious, but it was nearly empty except for Cherie and two contestants for the next match. These two were sitting far apart, giving off an air of being at daggers drawn. However, when Cherie walked in, they immediately stopped talking and sat nervously to one side, avoiding eye contact with her.
What had been a somewhat confrontational atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Angel’s arrival broke the tense silence between the two contestants, providing them with a graceful opportunity to depart.
The two competitors, who seemed nervously intimidated by Cherie’s aura, were the first to notice Angel. They took a step forward, bowed politely, and then hastily excused themselves, citing not wanting to disturb as the reason for their departure.
Cherie sat in a corner, not lifting her head immediately. However, her black cat Luna elegantly strolled over to Angel and softly meowed.
Angel crouched down to stroke the soft fur under Luna’s chin.
The last time Angel had seen Luna, he had altered his appearance, and this discerning feline had shown clear resistance. This time, Luna willingly lifted her head and squinted her eyes, enjoying Angel’s gentle massage.
At that moment, Cherie finally noticed Luna’s movements. She raised an eyebrow and said, “Ah, it’s you… Wizard Pat.”
“Just call me Angel.”
Cherie paused for a moment: “What brings you here? I heard you’ve been teaching at Achillea Comprehensive College lately?”
Angel sat opposite Cherie, and Luna cooperatively jumped onto his lap, elegantly curling up and laying her head down to rest. Her black tail swayed contentedly.
Cherie glanced at Luna but said nothing.
“Yes, I’ve been teaching at Achillea, but my classes have temporarily concluded,” Angel paused before adding, “Are you interested in my teaching? If I teach again, I can save a spot for you.”
“Never mind,” said Cherie. “I’m not currently interested in alchemy; I just want to become a formal wizard as soon as possible.” At least… I don’t want to fall too far behind you.
“My advancement was actually an accident,” Angel sighed softly, intending to use this as a segue to advise Cherie not to be too fixated on advancement, suggesting a more cautious approach.
However, before Angel could finish his thought, Cherie interrupted him: “So, did your advancement involve using potions for enhancement? Did you use any targeted external aids?”
Angel subconsciously responded, “No.”
Cherie remained indifferent, saying, “That’s fine then. You didn’t advance by using harmful methods, which isn’t surprising because your foundational strength is solid; you can advance at any time.”
Cherie’s words seemed to carry some weight, leaving Angel momentarily at a loss for words.
After contemplating for a bit, Angel decided not to press further. Perhaps it was due to her personality, but Cherie often had clearer insights into matters than many wizards. She would have her own clear judgment, and if all else failed, Canter would be there to provide guidance.
To Cherie, Canter was more like a foster parent than a mentor, quite unlike how Leon treated Loki; the dynamics were different.
So when it came down to it, Canter would scrutinize Cherie’s advancement. As an outsider, Angel had no need to say more.
“You still haven’t answered my previous question. What brings you to me?” Cherie said as she silently stared at Angel.
“Actually, I came to give you this.” Angel spoke while pulling out a transparent observation box from his bracelet.
Inside the box, a thin layer of blood was spread on the bottom. There was also a pool of essence blood, bordered by stones. A slime-like green creature was happily drinking from the pool. Its body contracted rhythmically, making it appear rather nauseating against the backdrop of dark red blood.
However, Cherie seemed completely unfazed by its repulsive appearance, observing it with a puzzled look.
Initially, Cherie couldn’t identify the slimy creature. After a while, a certain memory seemed to surface in her mind, catching her attention——
It was a flashback to a time when she was reading in the library at the House of Lilith.
Sitting alone in the circular library, Cherie was engrossed in a book that had long been out of print in the outside world. One book, —Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them—, had particularly captivated her. Especially page 138, which documented an unusual magical insect known as——the Softworm.
Cherie snapped back from her memories, meticulously comparing the shape of the “snot monster” inside the box to the descriptions she had read in books.
“It looks like a Softworm Worm Mother? Or rather…” Cherie paused, not uttering another name.
Angel, however, filled in the blank for her: “A Morphing Softworm.”
A flicker of astonishment and disbelief crossed Cherie’s eyes: “Is this really a Morphing Softworm?”
“Yes,” Angel nodded.
It was truly a Morphing Softworm, and it was a larva that had just been cultivated yesterday. Although Sparrow Blossom had stayed at Black Castle, reducing the manpower and hence slowing down the cultivation rate, fortunately, Popoca’s cultivation techniques were top-notch. He had prior successful experiences, and now he had once again managed to cultivate a Morphing Softworm.
Even though this particular Morphing Softworm seemed a bit inferior compared to the previous one when judged by appearance, it was still considered a high-quality specimen among Morphing Softworms.
Even during the era when Morphing Softworms were not yet extinct, they could fetch a premium price.
Angel handed the observation box to Cherie.
As Morphing Softworms had been absent from the world for many years, Cherie was still in a state of shock. She took the box unconsciously. By the time she had processed what had happened, the observation box was already in her hands.
A trace of embarrassment flashed across Cherie’s face, and she hesitated: “Is this for me?”
Angel nodded: “Of course.”
Upon seeing Angel’s nod, it seemed that Cherie understood something: “Is this from the Softworm eggs that Mentor initially gave you to incubate?”
Once she received the confirming answer, astonishment glinted in Cherie’s eyes: When she first met Angel, she knew that Mentor had given him several eggs and an insect nest. At that time, Canter had said that they were all unviable and wouldn’t be a loss. But looking at it now, this was a massive underestimation.
However, Cherie understood that her judgment was based on a consequentialist approach. It’s possible that those Softworm eggs left in Canter’s hands never had the chance to hatch in the first place.
Since Mentor had already given it to Angel, Cherie recognized that the item belonged to Angel.
Therefore, when Angel handed her the Morphing Softworm, Cherie really wanted to decline. Yet, the Morphing Softworm had become extinct in the outside world, and no one knew if she would ever get another chance to encounter one. So, the words of refusal lingered on the tip of her tongue for quite some time but never came out.
Seeing the hesitation on Cherie’s face, Angel knew exactly what she was thinking and explained, “Since I’m giving it to you, that means I already have one of these Morphing Softworms. So you don’t need to worry.”
“Furthermore, I promised Lord Like the Night that if I were to successfully cultivate a Morphing Softworm, I would reserve one for you. I can’t go back on my word.”
In the end, Cherie reluctantly accepted it and nodded at Angel, saying, “Thank you.”
Given Cherie’s personality, hearing a ‘thank you’ from her wasn’t easy. Angel smiled and said, “I’m simply fulfilling a promise.”
After Cherie accepted it, Angel couldn’t help but inquire, “I’ve been recently researching skin grafts and have gained some valuable insights. Do you want me to help you with the transplantation?”
Angel was genuinely eager to practice the technique in the real world, especially since his previous experiences had been confined to the Nightmare Domain.
However, to his regret, Cherie declined.
Though Angel was somewhat disappointed at missing the opportunity for hands-on practice, he understood Cherie’s perspective.
While Cherie didn’t necessarily shun Angel’s approach, her independent, autonomous, and even somewhat self-important nature made it very hard for her to be open to relying on others for such a personal matter.
“Before the Novastar Competition ends, I’ll be staying at a mansion in the suburbs. If you change your mind, you can come find me,” Angel added, still holding out hope.
This time, Cherie didn’t refuse; she simply nodded her head in acknowledgment.
After handing over the Morphing Softworm to Cherie, Angel felt a sense of relief, having Fulfilled a Promise. The two engaged in a brief catch-up conversation.
Cherie seemed somewhat softened by Angel’s gesture. Although her aloof nature still pervaded, she was willing to speak more openly.
Throughout their conversation, Angel could discern that Cherie was still most focused on defeating Jiebo. In fact, her participation in the Novastar Competition was aimed at that very goal.
However, Angel didn’t hold much optimism for her chances.
Right now, Jiebo was arguably the strongest among the apprentices. Those who could defeat him were virtually nonexistent… except for Hilary, but she is an anomaly.
While not particularly optimistic, Angel chose not to voice his doubts to dampen Cherie’s spirits. Instead, he steered the conversation away from Jiebo: “By the way, have you come across any contestants in this Novastar Competition who’ve caught your attention?”
Chapter 1561 Scroll of Luck <TOC> Chapter 1563 Drama Shadow Box