Chapter 2643 Ring of the Wood Spirit <TOC> Chapter 2645 The Variant Form and Cane
Translator: SumTLMan
“My lord, you have finally appeared. We were worried that you might have…”
Angel had just opened his eyes when he heard Vai’s excited voice at his side.
Angel first checked his own condition, confirmed there was no abnormality, and then asked Vai: “I was gone earlier?”
Vai nodded vigorously: “Yes, originally we thought you would come back to yourself in the blink of an eye, just like I did. But unexpectedly, the red light pulled you directly into that box, and we waited outside for a long time before you finally emerged.”
“Waited a long time?” Angel felt the time inside the box had been somewhat lengthy, but likely only around half an hour. Was that really considered so long?
“Actually, you were only gone for about three minutes.” At that moment, Daus’ voice came through the reconnected mental connection: “As for why Vai said it was a long time… Perhaps… perhaps his sense of time is different from ours.”
Angel furrowed his brows, not quite understanding Daus’ meaning. But it didn’t matter. Knowing he’d only disappeared for three minutes, Angel could roughly estimate the frequency of the so-called thought-sense amplification that Cecia mentioned.
“Are you alright? Your mental connection was cut off just now, and it really gave me a scare. If you hadn’t come out soon, I was about to use my red sword to slice that damned box open.” As Daus reached the end of his sentence, his expression became solemn.
“My lord, don’t listen to what Daus said. Just now, I suggested attacking that box, but Daus said something might go wrong. Then I suggested someone else go in, offering a treasure to see if we could find you, but Daus also said we should wait a bit longer.” Vai spoke indignantly: “He sure knows how to show off now, but he was the one cowering the most!”
Faced with Vai’s accusation, Daus showed no embarrassment at all. Instead, he responded in the tone of someone with plenty of experience: “This is a typical case of an academic type encountering a combat type. You don’t understand, yet you’re still pointing fingers.”
Before Vai could retort, Daus continued: “Look at that, does your lord seem worried? Even the Black Count isn’t worried, so what are you fretting about all on your own?”
Vai: “But…”
Daus: “No buts about it. If you don’t believe me, fine, I’ll have Kael explain the reason to you.”
With those words, Daus gave Kael a gentle push.
Kael truly didn’t want to get dragged into this war of words, but Daus was glaring daggers at him from behind, so he could only sigh and say: “I don’t know what Lord Daus wants me to say, but from my own perspective, there’s been nothing unusual about this moving illusion realm we’re in. That indicates that Lord Super Dimensional is fine. Since that’s the case, we just have to wait patiently for his return.”
Daus: “Exactly, that’s exactly what I mean!”
Their back-and-forth left Vai momentarily bewildered. Still, what Kael said did make some sense. Because he’d left the moving illusion realm, it hadn’t occurred to him right away.
“I trust that Daus would have sliced that box open at the first sign of trouble for me, and I believe Vai was genuinely worried about me. So in the end, you’re both on the same side. There’s no need to argue anymore.” Angel sighed. He had only just emerged, hadn’t explained anything yet, and had already been forced to play the mediator… It caught him completely off-guard.
“Let’s get back on track. You must have spent quite a bit of time in that box. What happened? Did you acquire a ‘ticket’?” At that moment, the Black Count finally spoke, guiding the slab to fly over to Angel.
Angel caught the slab out of habit and answered: “Yes, I spent close to half an hour in there, talking to a woman named Cecia.”
“A woman? Is she the owner of that female voice I heard earlier?” Vai asked curiously.
Angel nodded: “Yes, she’s the one who kicked you out earlier——Cecia. Strictly speaking, she was once a woman, but now she’s turned into a box. As for why she became a box, she didn’t tell me.”
“I talked with her about quite a lot of information on the Wood Spirit and obtained a rather interesting lead. I’ll give you the full details once we leave this place.”
He paused: “Aside from that, we also discussed some other matters, including information about this place. However, Cecia is constrained by an oath, so there are many things she can’t say outright. She hinted at a few points, but… I didn’t catch most of them.”
As Angel spoke, a hint of gloom flickered across his eyes. He couldn’t show his confusion inside the box, but outside, there was no need to hold back.
The Black Count also noticed Angel’s expression, and some thoughts crossed his mind, but he refrained from commenting.
“As for the matter of the tickets, I did manage to clarify it. Miss Cecia doesn’t require treasures as they’re commonly defined in mundane terms, but rather objects with certain ‘significance.’ Even if it’s just an ordinary item, it can be considered a treasure.”
Daus: “So, that gold coin of yours was also a treasure? And I’m not referring to the gold demon coin.”
Angel nodded: “Yes. Whether it’s the demon coin or the other gold coin, both count. So what we need to do now is for each of you to find your own treasure and go see Miss Cecia to exchange it for a ticket.”
“Each of us needs to get a ticket?” Daus said, looking displeased: “You got a ticket, so can’t the rest of us just follow you?”
Angel: “You can try that if you want, but I can’t say whether the outcome would be good or bad. Of course, you can also try going into my banishment space, if you trust me.”
Daus’ expression grew conflicted. He owned very few items imbued with personal significance, and each one carried profound symbolic meaning. He really didn’t want to exchange any of them for this so-called ticket.
But if he didn’t exchange anything, there would definitely be some unforeseeable risks. How great would those risks be? Could they be fatal? It was hard to say.
As for going into Angel’s Exile Space, Daus did trust that Angel wouldn’t do anything to harm them. Going once might be acceptable, but going again would be far too embarrassing.
The others shared similarly conflicted expressions. Disposing of such items of personal significance would require tremendous courage.
At that moment, Vai suddenly asked: “I got kicked out the first time. Can I still go back in?”
Angel: “Yes, you can. Alternatively, you can stay in my Exile Space, and I’ll release you again once we reach the Hanging Prison Stairs.”
Vai shook his head, taking on the demeanor of a passionate youth about to burst into flames: “No need, I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with you, my lord!”
Angel: “…” It’s just walking up some stairs, should it really require any fighting?
Angel then turned to Kael: “What about you? Will you go to the Exile Space?”
Kael likewise shook his head, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes: “Thank you, my lord, but I’ll pass. There is something I’ve thought about giving up for a long time now, but I’ve never been able to let it go… This time, though, an external force has finally emerged to push me toward discarding it. I… I’ll give it a try.”
Kael had made his own choice, and Angel naturally wouldn’t push him further. He simply said softly: “Giving something up doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning it, nor does it mean forgetting it. Bidding farewell in itself can be a form of growth.”
Kael paused for a moment, a slight redness welling in the corners of his eyes, and gently nodded at Angel: “I understand. Thank you, my lord.”
After Angel finished speaking to Kael, Vai suddenly spoke up again: “I nearly forgot, does my lord also need a ticket?”
Everyone paused for a moment. Right, the Black Count was currently just a slab, albeit a nose in one, but he wasn’t exactly a complete lifeform.
Probably that doesn’t require a ticket, right?
After all, the Black Count could simply remain on Angel’s person, like some decorative accessory. Would an accessory still require a ticket?
Angel had already considered this possibility. After a brief moment of thought, he said: “I actually didn’t ask about that, but I assume it shouldn’t be necessary.”
However, no sooner had Angel finished speaking than the Black Count interjected: “You need not concern yourselves with my affairs. I will, of course, be taking a ticket.”
There was a resolute note in the Black Count’s words. Everyone could tell he was determined to obtain that ticket.
Angel glanced at the Black Count and nodded, offering no objection.
The Black Count’s intentions were perfectly clear. Since there was an intelligent being in that box capable of communicating, he would pay a visit regardless of whether it was to obtain a ticket.
“That Cecia you speak of, she was willing to answer your questions, even providing hints for things she couldn’t directly say. Was it because you did something?” the Black Count asked.
The Black Count’s objective was obvious, and with his status, there was no need to hide it.
Angel: “I made a deal with her, the details of which I can’t reveal for now. But I can promise it’s unrelated to our current exploration or even this underground sewer.”
“That transaction hasn’t concluded yet. Cecia answering my questions was merely her part of the deal. As for the item I’m supposed to give her in return, I haven’t prepared it yet.”
“I’ll be setting up a private barrier here in a moment, where I’ll prepare what I’m going to trade with her. Once it’s ready, I’ll go back into the box to complete the transaction.”
“Before that, you can go ahead and exchange your items for tickets.”
That wasn’t exactly the answer the Black Count had hoped for, but since he was literally in Angel’s hand at that moment, he could easily sense the flow of Angel’s blood, his heart rate, and all his physiological responses.
The Black Count was certain Angel wasn’t lying. His deal with Cecia had nothing to do with this underground sewer or the current expedition.
It was likely a personal transaction.
Angel was even going so far as to create a special barrier to prepare the item for the transaction, which, given his identity, might be… some alchemical item? Possibly one of those secret alchemical items with special effects that are difficult to describe?
That thought crossing his mind, the Black Count decided not to inquire further.
Since Cecia was willing to “trade,” she could make a deal with Angel, so why couldn’t she do the same with him as well?
…
After Angel finished explaining about the treasure situation, he indicated that everyone was free to proceed and exchange for tickets at any time.
Angel himself began setting up a private barrier, summoning Eremy and Speedling to assist him.
Everyone assumed Angel was about to perform alchemy and thus said nothing, each absorbed in pondering what treasure they should offer for the exchange.
While arranging the barrier, Angel also observed the others’ progress… and the treasures they held.
After all, they had already seen his gold coin, so it didn’t seem excessive for him to take a peek at theirs.
With that in mind, Angel inspected each person in turn.
Vai was the first to step up for the exchange. Unlike the others, he didn’t appear to attach too much importance to his treasure; there was no trace of conflict on his face as he casually took out a pitch-black crystal ball with a faint, strange shine.
At a glance, it was clearly an alchemical item. Yet Angel could sense it contained a dense aura of death, which hadn’t been produced through alchemical means but had built up over time.
“If I recall correctly, isn’t that the medium you use for your Death Scent? And you’ve used it for many years. Are you really going to exchange it for a ticket that might not even matter?” Daus said in surprise.
Vai: “This thing does carry a lot of meaning for me, and I’ve used it with ease for a long time. But my ancestor told me ages ago to get rid of it because the death aura is too strong. Although it boosts my Death Scent, if I keep relying on it, my ability won’t improve much further.”
Vai scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed: “But I’ve used this thing for decades. I just couldn’t bear to throw it away, so I’ve been carrying it around all this time.”
Daus: “And now you’re willing to give it up?”
Vai: “I was bound to part with it eventually. Besides, after exchanging it, I can go find another alchemist to help me craft a new one, which will surely be better than the old one.”
As Vai mentioned “finding an alchemist to craft a new one,” he stole a glance at Angel.
Because Angel had been inspecting everyone’s “treasures,” he happened to meet Vai’s gaze.
Without a word from Vai, Angel understood his intention.
Most likely, Vai hoped to have him create a new crystal ball…
Angel wanted to be a good leader and maintain a gracious demeanor, plus Vai had stood up for him several times before, so he felt rather awkward refusing.
Under Vai’s expectant gaze, Angel let out an awkward chuckle: “If you don’t mind waiting, then I…”
“I don’t mind at all! Not in the slightest!” Vai immediately responded.
Angel: “Alright, then when I have some free time, you can tell me your specific requirements, and I’ll see what I can do.”
Vai nodded furiously.
Angel sighed inwardly, then used a lightly teasing tone to deliver a serious message: “However, if you want me to craft it, it’s not going to be cheap.”
Vai: “No problem! Name any price you like, my lord!”
He hadn’t even specified what he needed, yet he still dared to make such a promise. As expected of the Noah family, truly deep-pocketed…
With that, Angel could only smile and nod. Yet inwardly, he was filled with bitterness. He’d barely escaped Lord Rhine’s nightmare of crafting crystal balls, only to find himself crafting another one for Vai… In truth, wizards and crystal balls aren’t really a perfect match…
…
Because of seeing Vai’s treasure and meeting his gaze, Angel was forced to take on a new alchemy commission. Still, as an alchemist, he wouldn’t truly object to doing alchemy.
Hence, Angel didn’t intend to rein himself in and continued blatantly observing everyone’s treasures.
Vai’s treasure had been with him for decades. While running his shop, many people had come to him for Death Scent divinations, so the crystal ball had accumulated countless strands of death aura. Indeed, it was a treasure brimming with “significance.”
Surely Cecia wouldn’t reject Vai this time.
After looking at Vai’s item, Angel turned his attention to Kael.
Kael had previously mentioned there was something he’d long wanted to give up but couldn’t bear to.
And when Angel comforted him, Kael’s eyes had even grown red.
At the time, Angel speculated that what Kael wanted to abandon might be something tied to deep emotions, perhaps the memory of a lost loved one, a departed friend, or some unattainable love.
But when Kael actually took out the item he intended to discard, Angel’s expression froze for a moment.
What Kael brought out was… a crumpled piece of parchment.
Chapter 2643 Ring of the Wood Spirit <TOC> Chapter 2645 The Variant Form and Cane