As Lise's expression stiffened, I was also filled with confusion. What is going on?
For some reason, many people seemed eager to teach me in this life.
However, Lise's proposal was more surprising than those of Carzakh and Junian. She was a mage, an expert in a field I had little experience with.
"I don't think you realize the magnitude of this opportunity," Lise said, regaining her composure. "I, Lise Ladygoth, have never taken on a disciple. This is your chance to learn things you can't even begin to imagine. If you follow my teachings, the position of head of the family will be within your reach."
"Is that so?" I asked.
"Yes."
"It's alright," I replied dismissively.
Finally, Lise's face showed a trace of dissatisfaction, as if she hadn't gotten what she wanted.
"What are you dissatisfied with?" she questioned.
"I'm not particularly interested in magic," I answered.
"I know you intend to pursue the path of a martial artist, but don't you think there's something in common between martial artists and mages? Both work with mana. The advice I offer won't be without value," she reasoned.
"I still don't want to."
After my third refusal, Lise fell silent. She started swinging her feet irritably, perched atop the mountain of books.
The sound of water splashing caught my attention, and I suddenly felt curious. "Why do you suddenly want to take me on as your disciple?"
"It is just curiosity," she replied.
"That doesn't sound like the whole story," I retorted.
Lise snorted. "Be honest. Will you accept my offer?"
"I can't give you a definite answer, but I will think about it some more."
Of course, I still planned to refuse.
Lise contemplated it momentarily before saying, "I had considered taking at least one of the Badnikers' descendants as a disciple. But over the years, I've never found anyone worthy—not a single one."
"Really?" I asked skeptically. "My siblings must not be lacking in talent."
"Talent... is still not enough to catch my eye," she said. "Apart from that, I don't like them. It's a matter of compatibility."
"Compatibility?" I echoed.
"Exactly. Compatibility isn't just important in relationships or friendships. There also needs to be compatibility between a master and a disciple."
I had never been anyone's master, but for some reason, Lise's words made sense. I admired Bai Luguang, but I never thought he'd make a good master for anyone.
Lise continued, "Moreover, you're unique among Delac's offspring in many ways."
"In what way?"
"The most obvious is that you don't blindly worship him," she answered.
Though we had never explicitly discussed the Iron-Blooded Lord, Lise had perfectly grasped this fact.
"Also, the fact that you solved all ten questions in the cave means that our areas of interest overlap perfectly. I created those questions on a whim, you know," she added.
I hummed in acknowledgment.
"On top of that, I'm intrigued by the Qi Men Dun Jia you mentioned. I admire your guts for not being intimidated in front of me. You don't seem to lack intelligence, so I believe you'll follow my teachings well," she concluded.
Lise's reasoning was perfectly rational, yet something about it didn't quite feel like the full picture.
The way she was acting made me suspect something more was at play. She was avoiding eye contact, absentmindedly splashing her feet in the water—nothing like when she had ignored me while reading.
Back then, she had no interest in me. But now, her genuine curiosity suggested she truly considered me as a potential disciple. Yet, her refusal to look at me hinted that she might be hiding something.
Isn't psychological warfare a long-term strategy? I mused.
Lise, a black fairy who had lived for centuries, seemed far too transparent in her intentions.
In that case, it came down to one of two possibilities. Either she was so skilled at acting that I didn't sense the trap, or she had spent so many years isolated from people that she no longer knew how to interact with them.
She had been sealed here for a long time, so the latter seemed more likely.
"Originally, a master seeks a disciple to pass on the knowledge they've accumulated over time," she said.
"Is that so?"
"You don't seem convinced."
"What if I became your assistant instead of a disciple?" I cautiously suggested.
"An assistant?"
"As your assistant, I could support you wholeheartedly. I'd like to learn from you, discuss areas where our interests overlap, and help with other tasks when I can," I explained. "I won't be able to visit often, though."
This was my best compromise. If she rejected it, there was nothing more I could offer. Tempting as the underground library was, I'd have to walk away.
" Hmm... " Fortunately, Lise nodded and waved her hand, apparently satisfied. "Well, that isn't bad."
At that moment, something sparkled deep within the library and flew toward me, stopping before me. It was a clunky-looking key.
"This is the key to the underground library. If you insert it into any door, it will connect you to the library," she explained.
It appeared to be a magic tool. It was quite fascinating.
"What if a door doesn't have a keyhole?" I inquired.
"The key is durable."
I frowned, confused.
"I mean, force it in."
"Got it."
That meant the key was inscribed with spatial magic. I couldn't help but glance at the ring on my finger and mutter, "It seems similar to this."
"That..." She paused. "Is it a ring from Assad? Ha! "
To be precise, the Iron-Blooded Lord had given it to me. Although it was a one-time-use item and no longer served as a functional magic tool, I still wore it for some reason.
Lise said, "You have poor eyesight. My ring is a hundred times superior to that disposable trinket."
"So, you're saying you're better than Assad when it comes to crafting magic tools?"
"Of course," she claimed smugly.
I hadn't expected such a strong reaction to my offhand comment. Watching Lise's smug expression, I realized that despite her apparent disdain for Assad, there was a sense of rivalry between them.
Lise suddenly muttered, "By the way, you... You received that ring."
"Yes?"
"Could it be that he asked you to be his disciple? Is that why you turned down my offer?" she probed.
"Of course not. It's just that magic isn't my path."
Even with my explanation, Lise couldn't shake her skeptical gaze. She bit her lip before adding, "I have a proposal."
"What is it?"
"Never become Assad's disciple. If you agree to that, I'll sign a divine beast contract on terms far more favorable to you."
Naturally, I didn't intend to become Assad's disciple, and I doubted he would ever offer in the first place. Still, I pretended to think about it. After all, Lise seemed to lose her composure easily whenever Assad was mentioned.
As expected, she said nervously, "Then how about this?! I'll allow you to reach the Borrowing Power Stage immediately after signing the divine beast contract!"
"What is the Borrowing Power Stage?"
Lise was taken aback. "You... You said you came to sign a divine beast contract, but you don't even know the stages of the contract?"
I scratched my cheek. "I don't have much to do with blessings, so I never paid attention."
"Really? How many blessings do you have?"
"One."
" Hoh... " Lise's smile grew strange. "That's fine."
Her response threw me off.
It was fine? This was the first time I'd seen such a reaction. Most people, especially those from Great Families, ridiculed anyone with no blessings or just one. As a Badniker, the mockery was even worse.
However, Lise wasn't sneering. I could sense her sincerity.
I was about to ask about it when she spoke again. "Adaptation, Borrowing Power, Ascension, and Unity. Those are the stages of a divine beast contract. Typically, it takes a few years of Adaptation before you can borrow power directly."
"I see."
"Of course, even at the Borrowing Power Stage, you won't be able to use my power right away. But you'll save a lot of time."
"Okay." I nodded quickly, and Lise let out a relieved sigh. She really didn't want me anywhere near Assad.
"Okay. Come closer," she instructed.
I stepped forward without hesitation.
Up close, Lise looked smaller than I'd expected—probably because of her long hair and the mountain of books she'd been sitting on.
"How does the contract work?" I asked.
"Extend your hand."
Is she going to cut me?
Just as the thought crossed my mind, Lise snapped her fingers. A small snake slithered out from her wavy hair. Unlike the others I'd seen before, this one wasn't attached to her hair at all.
"Stay still," she instructed.
The snake flicked its tongue at me, then pressed its head into my outstretched palm.
What happened next was startling. The snake disappeared as if absorbed into my palm.
Moments later, a snake pattern appeared on the back of my hand. The pattern seemed to move slowly, creeping up my arm as though it were alive.
I groaned.
"Stay still," she repeated.
How could I stay still in this situation? I wanted to move, but I forced myself to remain composed.
Gradually, the snake pattern slowed as it reached my neck.
The moment I felt a cold sensation, Lise declared, "The contract is complete."
"Is it over?" I asked.
"Yes. It will take weeks for the snake pattern to fully settle, so don't overdo it during this time," Lise answered. You'll gradually learn how to tap into the power of the divine beast."
I touched the back of my neck and asked, "I don't have a snake tattoo on my body, do I?"
"It won't be visible under normal circumstances, so don't worry."
Damn. This means it's tattooed. If anyone finds out the snake tattoo on the back of my neck, I'd rather bite my tongue and die.
"Is that all, then?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Well then, I'll be on my way. I'll come back another time."
Lise didn't respond, merely staring at me blankly.
"Do you have anything else to say?" I asked.
"No. Go now."
"Alright."
At her dismissive wave, I nodded and left the underground library.
***
I headed back the way I came.
I wasn't sure if magic had anything to do with it, but the return trip was surprisingly short. Still, having spent quite a bit of time in the library, it was already dark when I crawled out of the well.
On my way back to the Small Iron Hall, I started to organize my thoughts.
The harvest was greater than I expected. I had gained detailed information about Senior Brother He Lou and signed a contract with a divine beast.
I still needed to figure out how to handle that power and understand the Adaptation and Borrowing Power Stages, but that wasn't urgent for now.
In other words, it was time to think about my next destination.
"The academy..." I muttered.
In fact, I had received an admission letter to the Imperial Academy this year, or rather, early last year. That was when I hadn't received any divine blessings and had been living like a complete failure.
Normally, it was customary to enter the academy at the age of fifteen.
My mother had wanted me to attend, but I'd been in such a bad state that I tore up the letter and locked myself in my room. Even so, I knew a bit about the academy.
Located in the capital, it was the largest academy on the continent and offered a standard three-year curriculum. With around 1,000 students and dozens of faculties, the tradition was to enroll at fifteen and graduate at eighteen.
"And I can bring up to two people with me," I mumbled.
One would obviously be Kayan, the all-rounder collector.
But who should the other person be?
The only one who came to mind was Carzakh. However, bringing someone of his stature, a Great Master, seemed excessive.
Carzakh probably wouldn't refuse, but he would draw too much attention, I mused.
So who else could I take? Should I bring one of the Iron-Blooded Knights or ask to borrow another collector?
Despite his unmotivated attitude, Jane, whom I'd met a few times, turned out to be more capable than I'd expected.
I returned to the Small Iron Hall, still mulling over my options.
The servants greeted me with slight surprise.
"You are late. Have you eaten?"
"Not yet."
"We'll prepare something right away. In the meantime, would you like to wash up?"
"I'll do that."
I'd been roaming around the cave, so I was a bit dirty.
I nodded and headed to the bathroom. After washing up and changing into clean clothes, I came out and spotted Kayan.
"You've returned," he said.
"Yes. Was everything alright?" I asked routinely.
Kayan smiled, though there was something unusual about it. "A familiar face is waiting for you."
A familiar face?