Chapter 2495 Mastery of Measure <TOC> Chapter 2497 Growing Pains
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Translator: SumTLMan
“Laxum Duchy?” Angel reflected on the geography of the Vast Continent: “This place and Winsbills are completely in opposite directions.”
“Who told you that just because Aesop settled in Winsbills, his disciple must also be there?” Tree Spirit replied. “Besides, if it were in Winsbills, if you didn’t use planar passages, it would take you at least a month to travel there and back. But Laxum Duchy is different; it’s adjacent to the Guman Kingdom, and you would still have time to go to the Tidal Realm with Rhine upon your return.”
Angel thought about it and agreed. Laxum Duchy wasn’t too far away; even just traveling by Gondola, it should only take about a week to get there and back. With the help of Speedling, that time could be reduced by two to three days.
“Any other questions?” asked Tree Spirit.
Angel shook his head: “No, that’s all.”
“Then prepare to set off,” said Tree Spirit as his figure slowly vanished.
Angel carefully stored the mission envelope and turned to Gloria who was next to him: “You mentioned earlier, you needed my help with something?”
Gloria, who had been idly feeding Toby her own arm made of white bread, heard Angel’s question: “It’s not a big favor, just hoping you could introduce someone to me.”
“Introduce whom?” Angel asked, puzzled.
Gloria opened her mouth as if to speak, then seemed to think better of it and stopped herself: “Let’s talk about it after you complete this mission.”
“That mysterious?”
“Not mysterious, just that I need a more complete plan.”
Angel gave Gloria a curious look. It was just an introduction; why the need for a plan?
Angel didn’t dwell on it and continued walking out of Phantom Island.
Gloria was about to head back, but Toby seemed reluctant to part with Angel, so she walked a little further with him.
Along the way, Gloria curiously asked: “Earlier, I heard Tree Spirit mention you were going to the Tidal Realm with Lord Rhine. What is that place?”
“You’ll know in time,” Angel replied.
Perhaps Gloria thought this was sensitive information related to the Savage Grottoes, so she didn’t pry further but mused to herself: “Sounds like a whole new world. Are there special ingredients there?”
Angel considered this: “The plants there, some I’ve indeed never seen before; they might be suitable for cooking.”
Gloria’s eyes lit up; she had only mentioned it in passing, but it turned out to be a yet-undiscovered new world. Her interest was piqued at the mention of a new world.
Throughout their journey, Gloria kept pestering Angel, not to scout the new world’s location but to learn about unknown plants.
With no other choice, Angel, while walking, used illusion magic to conjure images of the strange flora and fauna he had encountered in the Tidal Realm.
Gloria, a gourmet witch, could almost instantly identify which flora and fauna were edible.
At least thirty to forty percent were species Gloria had never seen before. This piqued her interest in the Tidal Realm even more. However, Angel was tight-lipped, and Gloria had to trust him, hoping that the coordinates of the Tidal Realm would soon be revealed.
As they approached the edge of Phantom Island, Gloria, reluctantly pulling Toby along, bid farewell to Angel.
Angel then took out the Gondola, ready to depart.
Just as Angel was about to set off, he suddenly noticed an extra man on board, naked but for leaves strategically covering the essentials.
“Tree Spirit Lord, do you have any last-minute instructions?” The newcomer was Tree Spirit, casually sitting on the Gondola, legs swinging leisurely.
Tree Spirit: “Nothing much, just letting you know that I plan to stay on Phantom Island for a while.”
Angel: “…You should discuss this with my mentor.”
Tree Spirit: “I just checked online with Sanders, and he said that in his absence, you’re fully in charge of Phantom Island. So, I thought I’d give you a heads-up.”
Angel took a deep look at Tree Spirit, who was obviously planning to settle on Phantom Island likely as revenge against Toby.
Angel was in no position to refuse. After all, Toby had indeed caused trouble. If their positions were reversed, Angel would feel the same.
Angel pondered for a moment: “Tree Spirit Lord, you’re welcome to stay on Phantom Island, and Butler Goode will arrange your accommodation.”
“…Since Phantom Island is Mentor’s territory, I hope you try not to stir up too much trouble. It would be difficult for me to explain to my mentor.”
Tree Spirit replied with a smile: “Don’t worry, I will take responsibility for repairing Phantom Island. You should trust a nature spirit’s ability to heal the land.”
Angel: “…”
Subtly hinting and dancing around the subject, Angel had no choice but to be more direct: “Lord, if you intend to punish Toby, please be merciful.”
Tree Spirit’s eyes curved into crescents as he smiled: “Why would I punish Toby? I’ve just discussed it with Gloria. After all, Toby is your aide, and it wouldn’t do for him to be much weaker than you. So, over the next few days, Gloria and I will properly train him.”
Tree Spirit clapped Angel on the shoulder: “Don’t worry, when you return, I’ll ensure Toby is back in one piece.”
In one piece. Why did Angel feel like Tree Spirit squeezed those words out between clenched teeth?
Assured of Toby’s safety, Angel could only manage a strained smile: “Then I’ll trouble you, Tree Spirit Lord.”
Tree Spirit beamed: “It’s no trouble at all. This is the most motivated I’ve been in nearly five hundred years.”
Tree Spirit’s laughter sent a chill down Angel’s spine.
Angel stuttered: “Then, Tree Spirit Lord, please go ahead with it. I—I’ll be leaving now. Laxum Duchy, it’s quite a distance, yes, quite far.”
After Angel spoke, he prepared to activate the Gondola.
However, Tree Spirit gestured for him to wait: “Hold on, I came here for another matter this time, I forgot to mention it to you earlier.”
Angel looked at him.
“This time as you head to Laxum Duchy, you should pass through the Guman Kingdom. There’s an apprentice at the mission hall who took a task to go to White Shell Sea City but can’t teleport there. If it’s convenient, could you possibly give them a lift? Just stop at the Guman Kingdom, and from there they have other ways to reach White Shell Sea City,” Tree Spirit explained.
Angel thought it over; it didn’t seem too difficult, and it was easy enough to help out, so he agreed.
Tree Spirit said: “Alright, I’ll notify them now. You wait for them outside the chasm.”
With that, Tree Spirit lightly leapt from the Gondola to the nearby Phantom Island. He looked towards the lush Phantom Island with a mischievous smile and stepped deeper into the island.
Angel silently thought about Toby… It’s not that I’m unprincipled, but my principles can’t stand up to Tree Spirit Lord’s fist.
To avoid witnessing Toby getting tormented, Angel summoned Speedling: “Full speed ahead, escape from the Mirror World at the highest speed!”
…
Paramjit Plateau, beside the chasm.
Angel leaned on the Gondola, waiting for the apprentice Tree Spirit mentioned.
While idly waiting, Angel took out Dangros from his bracelet.
Dangros had been unconscious since it fell asleep in the Life Pool and showed no signs of awakening just yet.
However, its overall condition seemed fine, and the internal flame circulation was active, which according to Tree Spirit, meant it was still assimilating the life energy.
Angel wondered whether Dangros would mature after digesting completely.
It seemed unlikely. Following the growth patterns of elemental sprites, Dangros was just a baby and wouldn’t mature overnight.
But having absorbed so much life energy, it should at least grow a bit, right?
As Angel thought this, he noticed that at the site of Dangros’ severed wrist, it seemed to be subtly lengthening.
Was it an illusion?
Recalling the previous position of Dangros’ severed wrist and comparing it now, it indeed appeared to have grown a couple of centimeters!
Angel’s eyes brightened, could it be that Dangros’ growth would eventually turn the severed hand into a complete arm? Or perhaps, it would transform into a humanoid flame?
This growth pattern was certainly intriguing.
Angel fiddled with Dangros a bit more, and seeing no signs of awakening, he put it back into his bracelet.
At that moment, activity finally stirred beneath the sky rift.
A figure riding a broom, swaying leisurely, ascended from below. It seemed she also spotted the Gondola, vigorously maneuvering the broom to fly towards it.
However, her control over the flying broom was utterly abysmal. Managing to ascend from beneath the sky rift probably exhausted all her luck.
As she headed towards the Gondola, a gust carrying snowflakes blew her askew. She hung upside down mid-air and plummeted.
Angel gently touched his forehead and softly said: “Speedling, go bring her here.”
The figure, nearly crashing to the ground, was enveloped by a gentle breeze, then drawn invisibly by it to land on the Gondola.
Having just boarded the Gondola, she was somewhat embarrassed, and attempted to bury her head like an ostrich. But suddenly, she remembered something: “Ah, my broom!”
The flying broom, a standard flying vehicle from the Savage Grottoes, was also costly, especially for an apprentice.
Angel sighed, gestured to Speedling to retrieve the wildly darting broom in the sky, and handed it to the young apprentice.
The young apprentice, clutching her beloved broom, blushed deeply and bowed her head: “Th-thank you, Lord.”
Angel looked at her with resignation: “No need for thanks. Did Tree Spirit Lord arrange for you to go to White Shell Sea City?”
The young apprentice nodded vigorously: “Yes, I’m grateful Lord could accompany me partway; otherwise, I would have had to take the underground train from the Shadow Demom Kingdom, which would take over a month to reach White Shell Sea City.”
Angel nodded indifferently, having confirmed her identity, he no longer lingered. He patted Speedling, who quickly understood and propelled the Gondola forward.
Indeed, with Speedling, Angel had rarely operated the Gondola himself anymore. Whether in terms of sense of direction or speed, Speedling far surpassed Angel, proving to be an excellent travel companion.
The Gondola soared through the snowy skies for several minutes, then entered a clear blue expanse.
They had reached the border of the Arelle Principality.
Angel glanced at the young apprentice opposite him; she was still looking down, gripping her flying broom tightly, appearing very nervous.
This reaction was normal, but what caught Angel’s interest was not the apprentice’s nervousness, but rather the familiar-looking doll in her backpack.
“Aubrey, I remember you having a tricolor deer. Why did you also purchase this broom?” Angel asked, using a slightly gentler tone.
The young apprentice looked up in surprise: “Lord remembers me?”
Angel nodded with a smile: “Of course, the first time I visited the Savage Grottoes, you were the one who introduced us to everything in the Mirror World.”
The young apprentice, Aubrey, shyly fidgeted with her hair: “Lord’s progress in cultivation is incredibly fast, always an example to us apprentices… Ahem. Everyone admires you, Lord, although you rarely appear in the Savage Grottoes. I thought you had forgotten about me… That time, I embarrassed myself in front of you, and now, it happened again.”
Aubrey first met Angel when she was assigned a mission to introduce newcomers. She had arrived riding a tricolor deer, but when she dismounted, she fell face-first to the ground. Luckily, the ones she was hosting were new talents, who didn’t laugh at her but thought it was just a quirky accident.
Angel smiled quietly, deciding not to speak on the matter, which could make Aubrey feel more embarrassed.
Aubrey said: “You asked about the tricolor deer… Well, it was my first summon, and everyone said it was useless, but I really liked it. I invested a lot of resources in it, and finally, the deer grew rainbow antlers, which significantly increased its power.”
“So, you turned your fortunes around?” Angel remarked.
With a pained expression, Aubrey replied: “I was living that dream, but then, a close friend of mine went to explore a ruin and borrowed the tricolor deer. When she returned, not only were the rainbow antlers gone, but two of the deer’s legs were broken. I had no choice but to send it back to its original world to heal before I could summon it again.”
“Without the tricolor deer for transportation, I had to buy a flying broom.”
After hearing this, Angel’s expression turned contemplative. “I see… was this friend of yours Guina?”
Aubrey looked surprised. “How did you know?”
“I saw you once, carrying Guina in that backpack of yours,” Angel explained.
Looking at her backpack, Aubrey’s face showed pity. “Guina has had a tough life, mistreated by her family and sold to an unsightly noble who cut off all her limbs. Thankfully, she was saved by a guide who gave her a new life.”
“She is kind and empathetic, and I sympathize with her plight, so we became close friends.”
Aubrey’s tone was light when she spoke of Guina, clearly holding her in affection.
Angel raised an eyebrow. “Is that what Guina told you?”
Aubrey nodded. “Yes, is there something wrong?”
Angel scoffed internally, everything was wrong. Guina was not the pure-hearted victim Aubrey believed her to be; her intentions were already murky.
He had felt that Guina’s association with Aubrey was not innocent. Now, hearing the fabricated stories Guina told and seeing Aubrey’s unsuspecting trust, Angel was convinced that Guina had ulterior motives.
Aubrey continued: “I lent Guina the evolved tricolor deer, and then its rainbow antlers were chopped off. I suspect it was someone who schemed against Guina. After all, those antlers are quite valuable to some wizards.”
Seeing the confusion in Aubrey’s eyes, Angel gently said: “There’s nothing wrong, but perhaps you’ve been too sheltered in the Savage Grottoes. It might be time to go out and see more of the world.”
Aubrey looked down, disheartened. “Do you think so too? That’s what Guina said, so I took on this mission to meet with Boro and take over the Savage Grottoes branch in White Shell Sea City.”
Meeting with Boro? Managing the White Shell Sea City branch?
Angel had not anticipated that Aubrey’s mission would be this. He had been to White Shell Sea City before, which was quite desolate. Going there was either self-exile or a retreat for the elderly.
What could Aubrey possibly experience there?
It was Guina who had suggested she go.
White Shell Sea City was so far from the Savage Grottoes. If Guina were up to something secretive there, who would know?
Angel seemed to understand Guina’s thoughts now.
“Did Guina go?” Angel asked.
Aubrey shook her head: “Guina is busy and can’t accompany me for now. However, she gave me a puppet doll she made herself, saying that whenever I miss her, I can look at the puppet doll.”
As she spoke, Aubrey set down her backpack and pulled out the puppet doll that Angel had been curious about earlier.
When the puppet doll was placed on the table, Angel could finally see it clearly.
It was a slim little boy, about 20 centimeters tall, with a pale complexion and cheeks faintly flushed as if blood vessels were spreading. His mouth was curved into a naive smile, but the longer one looked, the more sinister the smile became.
“This is the doll Guina gave to me,” Aubrey excitedly explained. “It’s said to be made in the likeness of her brother, whom she always carried with her. This time, because I am traveling far, she handed it over to me.”
Angel remained silent, intently observing the puppet doll.
Guina indeed hadn’t lied; this doll was indeed her brother. And this brother, Angel had actually met him; he was Chira, the one who had killed Nini, who had been very kind to him, for a bit of food, and was later avenged by Nini’s mother, who killed him in return.
The reason Guina always carried this puppet doll was that the skin used to make the puppet doll was painstakingly peeled off from Chira’s corpse.
Now, this human skin doll had been passed on to Aubrey.
Guina certainly did not have good intentions.
Chapter 2495 Mastery of Measure <TOC> Chapter 2497 Growing Pains