Chapter 947 The Rose Garden <TOC> Chapter 949 Core Advantage
Translator: SumTLMan
“I got it, ha-ha! I have 160,000 magic crystals! I’m rich!”
“All of it is mine! Anyone dares to snatch, and I’ll chew you up into pieces as fertilizer!”
“I’ll stash them away in my secret base! No one knows where it is!”
In a daze, Jacques sways and mutters non-stop. However, his actions contradict his words. He takes out all the magic crystals, including those previously dragged underground by thorns, and places them on the table.
He then extends the thorns to gather a pile of pebbles, wandering around the Rose Garden with a heap of stones and an excited expression on his face.
Angel, the picture of composure, counted the magic crystals to make sure nothing was missing before storing them all in his bracelet. David, who was watching this, was dumbstruck. It took him a moment to come back to his senses. Pointing subtly at Jacques, who was excitedly wandering around the Rose Garden, he whispered, “What’s up with him?”
“Nothing more than a sweet dream.”
David: “An illusion spell?”
Angel nodded. The spell he had cast was merely a simple nightmare illusion, making Jacques believe that he had triumphed. This kind of illusion spell doesn’t have any significant harm, but when Jacques wakes up, the disparity will make it hard for him to accept it for a while.
If it wasn’t for Liana’s territory here, Angel’s punishment for Jacques wouldn’t have been so simple.
David looked at Angel and then at the oblivious Jacques. He was somewhat dumbfounded. Angel’s illusion spell had resolved the previous conflict so effortlessly that he couldn’t find a single flaw. It was evident that Angel’s level of illusion mastery had reached a lofty height. At the same time, Angel’s alchemy had caused waves not long ago…
“The illusion spell hasn’t slackened, and the craft of alchemy is still advancing vigorously.” David felt a bit sorry for himself, “Indeed, no matter how hard I try, when I face you… I always feel like I’m just a lazy fish.”
Seeing David’s pitiful expression, Angel couldn’t help but laugh.
“This is just a basic application of illusion spells.” Angel originally wanted to comfort David, but after he finished speaking, David seemed even more upset.
“I can’t even understand the basic applications… Indeed, the world of a master isn’t something a small fish like me can touch.” David lamented, hanging his head in despair.
Just then, a cold female voice suddenly came from the Rose Garden.
“Indeed, this is a rudimentary application of illusionary magic.”
Accompanying this voice was an enchanting fragrance that made David shiver and his face flush involuntarily. His energy surged as wisps of white smoke began to drift up from his head.
Angel, however, remained unperturbed, his countenance a strange mix of familiarity and surprise.
His impassivity was owed to his familiarity with the fragrance—it was the same tantalizing fragrance of saliva he had previously obtained from the King Demon Eater Flower.
He turned to the woman who had abruptly appeared in the rose garden.
In truth, the instant he smelled the saliva of the King Demon Eater Flower, Angel had a hunch about the newcomer’s identity.
She appeared to be a young woman with cascading pink curls draped over her thin rose dress. With a background that seemingly showered petals wherever she stood, she looked much like a fairy of flowers.
“Lady Liana,” Angel greeted respectfully as he rose to his feet.
David, too, managed to stand, albeit a little awkwardly, his face flushed as he mumbled, “Mentor.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Angel observed David, recalling that the King’s saliva had a calming, soul-soothing effect. Strangely, David seemed more animated than pacified, as if his blood was surging in an almost explosive manner.
Liana nodded, slowly walking towards Jacques, who was still in a daze.
“This is indeed the foundation of mental illusion spells,” Liana said, studying Jacques. “However, there seems to be an additional strange illusionary power mixed in, could it be the exclusive illusionary power of the Phantom Master lineage?”
Angel nodded in response.
“Excellent,” Liana commended, “Even though you’ve only employed a basic illusion spell, in combination with this peculiar illusionary power, its effect is not inferior to a typical secondary spell. David is not wrong in his assessment—you being able to instantaneously cast such an illusion spell signifies your considerable expertise in illusion magic.”
As she spoke, Liana casually dispelled the illusion spell on Jacques.
Jacques stumbled, abruptly awakened from the illusory dream. After a moment of confusion, he looked down to find his thorny patch filled with rocks instead of magic crystals. He realized then that he had been hoodwinked!
“Dare to play me…” Jacques began to protest indignantly, but Liana gently pinched his vine, silencing him instantly.
“Cross me again, and by tomorrow, you’ll become my backdrop,” Liana’s voice echoed through Jacques’s mind. His actions halted, casting his gaze downward in a sullen manner. Burying his floral crown into the soil, he shivered uncontrollably.
Only then did Liana, satisfied, turn her attention to Angel. “Jacques is reckless — a failing in my instruction, admittedly. Please accept this as an apology.”
With that, Liana casually tossed a translucent bottle in front of Angel.
“My Lady, it was merely a jest…”
Angel was about to refuse, but Liana interjected, “Don’t rush to refuse. I hear you’re leaving with Madeline? Once you’re there, this might prove useful. Consider it a balance payment for the King Demon Eater Flower’s saliva you provided before.”
Upon hearing Liana’s reasoning, Angel turned his attention to the bottle on the table.
This was no traditional glass bottle. Round yet flat-bellied, it had diamond-like facets on its wings that sparkled brilliantly under the sun. The bottle had a triangular base and a smooth, curved neck. Its stopper was a crown studded with a diamond.
Inside the bottle, a thin, purple-black liquid swirled, its upper layer morphing into a mist that lent the bottle a blurry and surreal appearance.
“This is the fragrance of the Kunsha Flower, with ingredients sourced from the Abyss. Demons detest its scent — it repels their encroachment. If you’re going to that place, this could be handy,” Liana explained.
Understanding Liana’s deliberate goodwill, Angel acknowledged her superior knowledge in the field of fragrances. The products she crafted were always top-notch.
With this in mind, Angel thanked her, “In that case… thank you for your generosity.”
Liana nodded, “I won’t take back the Rose Garden’s pass token. If you wish to study potions or fragrances, feel free to seek me out.” After a pause, she added, “When you return from there, we can share our experiences in alchemy.”
Angel nodded, understanding that Liana’s last statement was the real point of the conversation.
Seeing Angel’s agreement, Liana departed with a satisfied nod.
However, after a few steps, Liana suddenly turned around, remembering something. “Oh, yes. There’s a question I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
Under the perplexed gaze of Angel, Liana voiced the question that had been gnawing at her heart for quite some time: “What, in the end, is the name of the piano piece playing inside the music box that David sold at the Ancient Auction?”
……
With a content departure by Liana, it was only then that David muttered softly: “Recently, many gossip magazines were speculating on the name of that piece of music, who would have thought the name would be so straightforward?”
Angel shrugged nonchalantly: “I did mention it before, it’s a small piano composition dedicated to Alice by the composer.”
Muttering under his breath, David suddenly thought of something: “Mentor just mentioned that you are leaving with Madeline. Where are you going? What does it have to do with the demon race? You’re not going to…”
“I have some questions that require the guidance of my Mentor.” Angel did not deny it this time.
“But the Abyss is very dangerous now…”
“My issues are of an urgent nature.” Angel paused, “Moreover, once one steps into the Wizarding World, where isn’t dangerous?”
David caught Angel’s sophistry—the level of danger is relative. However, looking at Angel’s expression, he knew that persuasion would be futile. Left without a choice, David could only heave a sigh and advise: “I respect your decision, but you must stay safe and return as soon as possible.”
Perhaps because they were aware that Angel was heading to the Abyss, the atmosphere carried a touch of solemnity.
Angel decisively initiated a discussion with David about the current progress of his alchemy studies, engaging in a dialogue. David happened to be in a bottleneck with his alchemy, and despite his path focusing on harmonizing, many alchemical experiences were universal.
Thus, amidst a heated discussion about alchemy, the atmosphere gradually lightened.
When the conversation began winding down, Angel started asking about the status of Nausica and Shalem.
“I heard from Baruba that Nausica received a letter?”
David nodded: “Yes, the letter was originally intended for you, but knowing that you were returning home, she sent it to Promi Alchemy Shop instead.”
As he spoke, David rummaged through his pouch for a moment, retrieved an oil-paper letter, and handed it over to Angel.
The cover of the letter was inscribed with the recipient’s name: David.
Unfolding it, the first line within bore the names of three individuals: Angel, David, and Shalem.
Before diving into the letter, Angel harbored a certain apprehension in his heart. This was because Nausica, prior to her departure from the Savage Grottoes, was not embarking on a journey of self-improvement, but rather was in search of a safe haven to fuse with the Nether Demon’s bloodline.
The fusion of bloodlines, inherently, was fraught with significant risks, even more so when the bloodline in question hailed from a high-ranking abyssal demon.
Furthermore, Nausica had never undergone bloodline fusion before, and for her maiden attempt, she had chosen a challenge of abyssal proportions. Even though she had casually claimed to have researched the matter thoroughly and that Spivey had relayed all the crucial steps to her, when it actually came down to the fusion, other people’s experiences were difficult to extrapolate to one’s own circumstances. Hence, the risk remained formidable.
Nausica’s decision to fuse away from the Savage Grottoes also implied an unspoken sentiment of “If the fusion fails, I shall not return.”
Therefore, Angel was considerably anxious before he read this letter.
However, once he had comprehensively scanned through the contents, his worries subsided.
Nausica’s fusion had succeeded. However, she needed some time to adjust, hence her inability to return to the Savage Grottoes for now. The letter served as her way of signaling her safety.
Toward the end of her letter, Nausica left a cryptic remark: “When I return, I suspect you’ll be in for quite a shock with my transformation.”
David murmured, “The Nether Demon demon is significantly larger than humans. Nausica, having fused with the Nether Demon Bloodline, won’t possibly grow in size, will she?”
Angel replied, “Enlargement signifies an increase in strength, which I find quite agreeable.”
After a brief pause, Angel cast a glance at his own right hand. Wasn’t his own transformation leaning toward enlargement? Well, not quite. Even though his right hand had grown in size, it was still within normal human range. Perhaps it would be more accurate to describe it as… slight enlargement?
Chapter 947 The Rose Garden <TOC> Chapter 949 Core Advantage