Chapter 34: Chapter 33: Star Eater’s Ravings
"I... I thought you might be Lady Allen’s daughter or a relative..." Ron awkwardly diverted his gaze, his voice tinged with obvious confusion.
She laughed again, this time more unrestrained: "Daughter? This old body of mine has lived for hundreds of years, where would I get a daughter?"
Only then did Ron notice that, although the appearance was completely different, that manner of speaking and the sharpness in her eyes was indeed identical to Lady Allen’s.
"But you..." He didn’t know how to describe the change before him.
"You needn’t be too shocked." Lady Allen turned slightly to explain, "On the days each month when the magic fluctuations are most active, I can briefly return to my youthful appearance."
She stretched her body, seemingly enjoying the comfort this young physique brought:
"That’s also why I closed the shop early today. During these days, I usually shut the shop to focus on concocting magic potions and rushing through a month’s backlog of orders. Customers like Holt know somewhat of this."
Ron nodded, but his senses had already captured more information.
With the enhancement of his elementary apprentice’s spiritual power, he could clearly feel the terrifying magic power fluctuations emanating from Lady Allen
—an energy field as dark and powerful as the abyss, far beyond what ordinary apprentices or even advanced apprentices could possess.
A startling thought flashed across Ron’s mind: Lady Allen’s strength at this moment likely had reached the level of an official wizard!
"Originally, I planned to tell you about this earlier." The pink-haired beautiful witch continued, seemingly unaware of Ron’s inner thoughts:
"But your conflict with Marcus sent you straight to the detention room, so..."
Ron was somewhat curious about why Lady Allen’s magic power usually weakened and why her appearance was so aged, but he wisely refrained from asking.
Everyone has their secrets; probing recklessly is often not wise.
"However, your timing is quite right." Lady Allen’s tone lightened a bit: "Though a bit surprising, since you’re here, let’s talk about the main matter."
"Yes, madam."
Seeing that they had returned to a familiar mode of interaction, Ron’s awkward emotions dissipated a bit, he replied respectfully:
"I’ve come to tell you that I’ve ended my detention early. Additionally, I wish to seek your advice on some matters."
Lady Allen looked at him with interest, the eyes of deep green flashing with a light that saw through everything:
"Not just the detention ending, is it? The changes in your aura are apparent; you’ve already broken through to an elementary apprentice?"
Ron nodded slightly: "Yes, I had an accidental breakthrough in the detention room."
"Accidental?" Lady Allen raised one delicate eyebrow, with a playful smile on her lips:
"Breaking through in that kind of environment is not something ’accidental’ can account for."
She walked around the counter and took a few steps forward.
The young body made her movements exceptionally light and graceful, a complete contrast to her usual hunched posture.
"Your aura is very stable, and the fluctuation of your spiritual power is also very even." Lady Allen remarked:
"Better than most apprentices who have just broken through; it seems the environment of the detention room has instead done you a big favor."
Ron did not deny: "Indeed, the isolated environment allowed me to focus more on meditation and cultivation."
"So, what questions do you wish to ask?" Lady Allen crossed her arms in front of her chest, and this posture made a certain part more prominent.
"I have two questions."
Ron kept his gaze steady, replying with brief words as he knew she always valued efficient communication:
"The first question, I want to know about higher-tier meditation techniques. The basic meditation technique no longer meets my needs."
Lady Allen nodded, seemingly unsurprised by this question:
"The basic meditation technique is like a phonetic dictionary for children, eventually to be set aside once mastered. Your spiritual power indeed has reached the point where it needs more advanced guidance."
"And your second question?"
Ron hesitated for a moment but decided to directly ask: "How much do you know about Oliver?"
At this name, Lady Allen’s expression instantly became serious, and an old wisdom appeared on her youthful, beautiful face that did not match her exterior:
"Oliver? Has he contacted you?"
Ron briefly described Oliver’s visit and his use of a magic stone fragment to release him from the detention room.
"This is not a good thing; that kid is never ’kind’ without reason. Every gift of his is backed by careful calculations."
Her fingers tapped lightly on the counter, the rhythm scattered and irregular.
A moment later, Lady Allen walked back to the counter slowly, her slender fingers brushed past a row of locked drawers, finally stopping at one that appeared ordinary but was marked with a miniature sealing rune.
"Regarding your first question..." A petite silver key had somehow already appeared in her hand.ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ NovᴇlFir(e).nᴇt
She inserted the key into the lock, and with a nearly imperceptible "click," the drawer quietly slid open.
Lady Allen took out a small notebook bound in dark leather, with an irregular blood-red gem embedded on the cover, reflecting an eerie glow under the light.
"I do have some higher-tier meditation technique materials; here it is."
When her fingers brushed over the cover of the book, the gem seemed to react to her touch and flashed briefly.
Her gaze at this moment became deep and distant, as if piercing through the river of time:
"The ’Star Eater’s Ravings’, also known as the ’Star Meditation Technique’—a gem-level meditation technique a tier above the basic meditation technique, said to be created at the edge of madness and lucidity by an ancient traveling wizard whose mind was shattered by terrifying entities among the stars."
Lady Allen’s fingers stopped on a page within the book, on which was drawn a complex rune structure.
It looked like dozens of basic meditation runes interwoven in an incredible way, forming a grander, more complete energy circuit.
"It allows spiritual power to flow along the trajectory of the stars, achieving a greater effect with less effort. Of course, it also carries corresponding risks." The pink-haired beautiful witch continued to explain:
"Very suitable for someone who has already broken through to an elementary apprentice, it can even help you ascend to an official wizard..."
Ron almost held his breath, his eyes involuntarily drawn to that rune structure.
Even with just a brief glance, he felt a strange allure, as if the rune itself contained a certain summons.