The truth was, Mara would be very glad to see some homosexual relations between Angor and Alan as long as this helped with his mission. But obviously, Angor was not going to like it.
Mara had noticed that Angor was getting impatient. Since Mara also wished to learn about Alan’s recent conditions, he decided to follow Angor’s will and stopped mentioning Aleen.
As Angor explained, Mara gradually found the image of his chubby grandson returning to his mind after having parted ways for so long.
He was shocked to know that Alan also attended the garden challenge. He didn’t need to know how Alan survived. As long as the boy did, he would earn a better chance to become a wizard in the future.
And when that happened... Mara, as the grandfather of a wizard, would enjoy a better place at White Coral Floating Island Academy. He might even become a wizard himself, using Alan’s magical dishes.
A woman’s voice suddenly emerged from his mind and interrupted his fantasies.
“I see you’re getting along well, Mara. How about finding a chance right now and invite him to the academy? You know we badly need a guest professor who can teach us alchemy.”
Mara flinched and returned his own voice transmission, “I’ll try my best, Miss Heroline. But... I still need more time to mend our relationship.”
“Humph! Suit yourself. I’m reminding you for the last time, that acquiring the friendship of a master alchemist is crucial to both you and me!”
Mara sensed Heroline’s magic gone and silently let out a sigh.
I... I am doing a pretty good job till now, am I not? I’ll just keep going from here...
“So, Doctor Anglo came from White Coral Floating Island Academy?” Angor saw Mara spacing out and took the chance to speak to Sunders, using their Spirit Bond.
Sunders looked up from his seat and grinned. His expression appeared rather creepy when he was sitting at a shadowy corner. “Correct. I see your ‘old friend’ has told you a lot.”
It took Angor a moment to realize that Sunders just told a terrible joke.
He then explained how Mara helped him come to the wizarding world and how he was grateful.
“Exchange of profit, simple as that. That ‘Morning Dew’ you mentioned is valuable enough to buy his scroll AND a ticket for The Redbud,” Sunders commented.
Angor did not protest as he fully knew this was the case. Even so, he still appreciated how Mara offered to “trade” with him instead of destroying the entire Padt Family and taking all Morning Dew by force when he could have done so.
The more Angor learned about the unspoken conventions in the wizarding world, the more he admired Mara’s peaceful way.
And since they already had an agreement, Angor would have no trouble fulfilling his end of the deal.
“If Doctor Anglo is from the academy, then...” Angor carefully glanced at the woman constantly hidden behind a water curtain. He felt as if the woman still had her attention on him.
Is that “Ocean Moray” Heroline?
He met with Heroline in Barbie’s Restaurant, but he never paid much attention to her since he was still a powerless mortal back then.
He did remember that Heroline had impressive long blue hair. This was why he wished to ask Sunders about this when he saw a similar hair color across that water.
Sunders confirmed his idea while adding another comment in a joking manner, “Why did it take you so long to notice? Ever since you entered this house, she’s been staring her eyes out at you.”
Sunders did not hide his proud attitude because it was he who took Angor away right from under Heroline’s nose. Somehow, looking at Heroline’s resentful stare made him feel so great.
Angor had no problem understanding the complicated attention Heroline was giving him, but he wasn’t sure why his professor looked so happy.
The wizards around the sand table suddenly stopped talking and hurried to join Anglo.
“We got something!” someone whispered.
“What’s that language? Who can read it?” People were confused to see random and incomprehensible marks on Anglo’s parchment.
“It’s not a language. It’s the marks left by the strings of the world!”
“Whatever! Just tell us the result already!”
After a brief ruckus, they all looked at Anglo.
Anglo let out a painful breath and put down his quill, which was still dripping blood-red ink from its tip. “Mister Radiance, I managed to read something, but—”
Douglas knew something bad was to be expected when he saw Anglo’s look, and the way Anglo was faltering didn’t make the situation any better.
“Spit it out!” Qetesh spoke impatiently while his white eyebrows moved to a funny angle when he frowned too hard. “There is no academism wimp around here. How bad can it get? Is something going to destroy the entire Sleepless City?”
“Quiet, Qetesh! Let Doctor Anglo speak.” Douglas couldn’t help scolding his colleague with an angry look.
Anglo shook his head as his expression turned grim. “It... doesn’t look good.”
“Not good? We expected as much. The disturbance brought by this darkness already damaged the city for good,” said Douglas as he sighed in distress. “Can you tell us any details that we don’t know yet?”
“You were wrong, Mister Radiance. You spoke as the current leader of this city, while my ‘plucking’ reached a result based on how the darkness will affect the wellbeing of Sleepless City in the long run. And my conclusion is, the effect will be really bad. What’s currently happening inside the outer city is only part of the disaster. As time goes by, it will get worse.”
Anglo saw the others still dazed and decided to make it plain. “To put it simply, you will not stop suffering losses as long as you don’t abandon the city.”
“Are you saying we cannot get rid of this darkness at all?” Qetesh almost jumped up in rage.
Anglo shook his head again. “I do not know. What I can tell you is, this abnormality is dangerous. VERY dangerous.”
Anglo flipped the parchment to its blank side. He then dropped his own blood on it. Countless characters, symbols, and rays of light emerged from thin air and rushed to the red spot like mosquitoes drawn to blood.
The drop of blood slowly spread out and became a line of words.
[The source of all darkness, the forebearer of unrelenting menace]
Anglo cast a Cleanse to remove all sweat and grease off his body and adjusted his glasses. “Such is the result I reached. Do note that this is as much as I can do, Mister Radiance.”
He turned to Qetesh next. “Mister Qetesh, should you have questions about my prediction, please feel free to invite a prophet from Starliege Temple. Many of us came from different organizations far and wide, yet Starliege Temple did not send anyone. Doesn’t it look strange?”
Lastly, Anglo turned to Heroline and said, “Considering the future of our academy, I suggest that we leave this place as soon as possible, Heroline. You can do as you wish, but I’ll be leaving tonight.”
Anglo turned to the door.
“Hold on.”
It was Sunders who called him.
In order not to offend the famous killer wizard, Anglo halted his steps and waited patiently.
“Your prediction told us that the darkness will linger for a long time while we can’t do anything about it?” asked Sunders.
“I do not know, sir. There are many possible ways to interpret the strings, and what you said is only one of them.”
“Will it be possible that the darkness will expand further?”
“I... do not know. This is very unlikely though.”
“Can you tell me anything about the Mystery item hidden inside?”
Anglo remained silent for a long time.
“I believe the World Strings I saw just now intentionally steered away from this matter. I assume that whatever is happening inside the darkness has altered the rules of this world. I might be able to tell you something if I can get my hands on more information.”
“Rules?”Douglas’ irises shrank. “Are you saying something has bent the rules of the wizarding world? Is it truly as Mister Phantom mentioned, that a tunnel to a foreign world has appeared?”
“I... ahem, I’m afraid that is no longer our expertise,” Qetesh replied with a somewhat hesitant look. “If so, the world’s consciousness will always mend it.”
Anglo glanced at Qetesh but did not reveal his doubt. “Mister Qetesh is quite right. You can request help from the Moonfrost Union should you need their help. If I remember correctly, Miss Sennefer was still in Floating Mech City not long ago.”
With that, Anglo left through the door.
When Mara saw both Anglo and Heroline leaving, he hastily invited Angor to visit the academy and left as well.
The remaining wizards fell into a heated discussion regarding Anglo’s words, yet no one could set up a solid plan.
They didn’t want to leave when the Mystery item was ready to be seized. However, Anglo told them that the darkness was beyond dangerous...
Angor suddenly heard Sunders’ voice through their Spirit Bond:
“I’m going inside.”