Angor only had several hundred crystals left after visiting the bookstore. He didn’t believe he had enough money to buy magical thread even if he could find them, so he simply left Moshi’s Street and headed to Champagne Road.
On his way, he thought about making some more money since he would soon need it.
He still owed Sunders 150,000 crystals. The debt was due about half a year ago, yet he never had a chance to get to it since he was forced to travel through Fairy World. Sunders did not mention the debt yet because nobody knew whether Angor could return from the garden challenge alive. But now that Angor came back, it was time to talk about money problems.
Angor once read about how “Nightmare Domain severing” worked. Sunders spent lots of wizard-level materials in order to stabilize Angor’s own piece of Nightmare Domain. Added with Sunders’ fame and great skills, 150,000 was a pretty cheap price.
His Nightmare Domain had helped him escape from danger many times. Angor didn’t intend to forget about his professor’s timely help.
I guess I have more alchemy to do...
He saw the crossroad leading to Champagne Road still had several craters in it, which were caused by the fight between Shan and Saladin. He wondered if Saladin made it out of the purification garden.
Soon, he arrived at Timber Pub. Like last time, the glass windows showed the bustling groups of people inside. It was when he entered the door did he feel something wasn’t quite right inside.
The inner area of the pub was divided into two halves. One side was occupied by joyful apprentices who escaped the garden alive, while the other side had people who mourned and cried over their lost friends.
Somehow, two types of people co-existed just fine.
A bartender wearing a servitor uniform and white gloves quickly approached Angor. “What can I get you, my friend?”
It was the same mortal bartender Angor saw last time. This flexible man seemed like the kind who knew how to deal with different types of people professionally.
“Not drinking. I’m looking for someone,” replied Angor.
“Who, if I may?” The bartender seemed determined to find Angor’s purpose.
Angor frowned at the courageous mortal. He guessed that it was the owner of this pub that allowed their workers to act so boldly. Since this pub owner granted him a swift exit last time, Angor decided to act as friendly as possible.
From his bracelet, he took out a small card that had “Budding Quarter” written on it.
The bartender looked at Angor’s hooded figure again and quickly took a guess. Is he that very same apprentice from last time? At least he’s of the same size...
He was a little startled when he thought about the possible identity of this guest.
“This way, sir.” He stepped aside politely.
The other patrons looked over when they saw the bartender acting strangely.
When they saw the invitation card, they also wondered if this visitor, who was hidden under a large robe, was Angor.
When Angor’s teammates returned from the garden challenge, Shan was quite enthusiastic when telling their story to the other guests. She used many flatteries and untruthful words when speaking, of which not many people were convinced. But no one would doubt that the ladies all made it back safe and sound due to Angor’s help because almost all survivors saw how Angor took his team to the Altar of Demise in the last moment on the back of a powerful monster that easily scared Jebra away.
They couldn’t contain their curiosity about Angor when all the survivors and city magazines were talking about the same name. However, no one went to question him for real since they didn’t want to anger someone so brilliant.
When Angor left the pub area and headed to the residence deeper inside, the patrons finally began to talk again.
“Angor was a level-2 apprentice last time he came, but that man just now was a level-3, right? That can’t be him,” an apprentice said while several people all nodded in agreement.
...
Angor soon saw the three ladies resting in the yard of Budding Quarter. He still had his hood on. Even so, Nausica knew it was Angor since no one else possessed their invitation card.
“Hey! Did you-wait, you’re level-3 now?!” Nausica’s friendly smile was quickly replaced by shock.
“I was lucky,” Angor said. He removed his hood and smiled when he noticed that Nausica had successfully reached level-2.
It seemed the purification mended all of Nausica’s injuries caused by battles and conflicts while she was still the leader of pirates. Once she returned to Timber Pub, it didn’t take her long to fully embrace her purified spirit and soul. In fact, her foundation grew so much that she was ready to challenge the next level right away.
Nausica was planning to surprise Angor with her achievement. Now that Angor was once again one step ahead of her, she suddenly felt a little depressed.
Such a great gap... And we joined Brute Cavern in the same year!
Shan was also giving Angor astonished looks. “Again?? You came to Brute Cavern two years ago, right? A level-3 apprentice?! Nanagi and Vice spent like ten years to get this far!”
Nanagi and Vice were believed to be the two strongest apprentices that ever joined Brute Cavern. They were well-known because they were both under the age of 30, which meant they had more than enough time to achieve the wizard level.
But Angor just broke their record by reaching level-3 before turning 20.
“You’re kidding me... this world is kidding me...” Shan was muttering to herself as her sanity was on the edge of breaking apart. Many people told her that her talent was good, which seemed like a joke when compared to Angor.
Angor didn’t know what to say, so he only shook his head embarrassingly. His breakthrough was totally unexpected, and it happened during his sleep. He couldn’t say so as no one would believe him.
A moment later, Shan managed to return to normal.
“Good timing, you. This thing will probably go bad in a few days.”
She took out a chunk of fresh meat that still had some blood lingering on it. This was Erdus’ meat. When escaping, Shan took several seconds and obtained the best part around Erdus’ heart chamber.
“The meat of a wizard-level monster. We’ve been waiting for you. Whatever good stuff hidden inside must have escaped by now,” Shan said while she helped Shiliew and Nausica getting a grill ready.
She looked pretty skilled at it, which meant she barbecued a lot.
“Trust me, everybody in my tribe loves my cooking!” Shan added honey and various unknown but delicious-looking spices to her meat while humming a small melody. “Too bad we don’t have a Gourmet wizard here. I guess we’ll make do.”
Angor thought about Alan. He wasn’t worried since Alan seemed fine with his team. And for some reason, Falca was with them on that day.
Nausica finally remembered what she wanted to ask at first and went to Angor again. “Why did you leave so fast back there? Was the Potion of Impedance getting to you? Did it work so fast?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I drank too much witch stew and I kinda need a quick respite.”
Nausica nodded and didn’t push further. She looked at Toby next, who was sitting quietly on Angor’s shoulder while staring at Shan’s meat with a really hungry look.
“Chill, buddy. We aren’t going to disappoint our biggest lifesaver.” Nausica smiled.
Toby folded his wings akimbo and put on a proud look.
“Oh, you and your appetite,” Angor said as he grabbed Toby with his hand and began to smoothen the bird’s feathers.
Again, Shan suppressed her urge for questioning Toby’s strange ability as it might be something very private.
Angor found a chance when no one else was talking and explained why he came today, “Have any of you seen Hookdick?”
“Hookdick...” Nausica scowled. “I’m looking for him too. When we left the garden, he saw us and ran into the crowds. I’ve been asking around these days and I get no answer. He’s probably not in the city anymore.”
“So what?” Shan also showed a cruel look. “He has to return to Brute Cavern sooner or later. And I’ll do whatever it takes to gut him, just for what he did to us on that day. Hey Angor, you can leave him to us. I’ve made some connections in Brute Cavern over the last decade, while Hookdick’s only a damned rookie. I have more than one way to get him to beg for his life!”
Shan’s expression twisted in rage, which did not sit well on her young face.
Angor didn’t really believe that these people had what it took to fully kill a soul manipulator, but he chose not to reveal his mind.