Badge in Azure

Chapter 114: Spider Puppet (Part 1)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The man looked up at Saleen. Seeing the tears in his eyes, he was astonished. He waved his hand and said, "Come over here. You are a friend of Aini?"

"Yes," Saleen said as he walked over. "I'm Saleen, Saleen Metatrin."

As he spoke, he took out the silver badge that Aini had given him, placing it on the table. At the center of the badge was the lion symbol belonging to the Clyde family.

The man did not move. The golden-haired woman moved first and took Aini's badge into her hands, feeling it.

Saleen had already calmed down and was looking at the man's laboratory. Like Faerun, he was using corrosive rays to carve gemstones, but Faerun used an alchemy array made of over three thousand metal parts and his setup was much more intricate.

The alchemy array on the laboratory table was standard elemental alchemy. Although Saleen had not done much research on alchemy, with a little calculation from the Figaro formula, he could guess what the man was planning to do.

This gemstone was a rose quartz and was one of the rarer rose quartz known as star rose quartz. With extreme precision, the man expertly carved out a hole inside of the star rose quartz. The special structure of the star rose quartz allowed the substance within to slowly spread towards the outer edges, almost as though it were a naturally hollowed gemstone.

A star rose quartz could imprison souls. Saleen knew that since they were the parents of Aini, they must have known that he was learning death magic. This star rose quartz would be a piece of spatial equipment with a death contract. Of course, Aini's parents did not know death magic, and this prop was only a prototype.

Aini would be able to quickly rise to the standards of a Grade 4 mage, and with the death flames, he would possess a coordinate in the death dimension. This coordinate would be connected to the Myers Mainland, usually, and Aini would be able to use this coordinate to absorb energy from the death dimension. If any death creature walked past the coordinate, he could forcefully call upon them to fight for him in battle.

This form of summoning was random and it was impossible to tell which death creature would walk past the coordinate. There was a limit to the time that the creature could be called upon and once the time was up, it would return to the death dimension. However, with the space of a death contract, the death creature would be able to stay in the Myers Mainland.

Before becoming a sorcerer, the coordinate radius that a death mage could control was incredibly small and hence the creatures summoned would all be by chance. With this equipment, the combat abilities of a death mage would be greatly increased.

Bang…

The star rose quartz floating in the air exploded with a soft bang, and the elements within the six metal pillars were immediately thrown into chaos. The man sighed and stopped the motion of the alchemy array, carefully calming down the agitated elements on the verge of exploding.

Even though it had failed, Saleen was still very impressed. To be able to calm down the chaotic elements, Aini's father was definitely a sorcerer. However, from the looks of things, he was not as solid as Faerun when it came to controlling energy. Otherwise, the experiment would not have failed in the first place.

"Uncle Fellett," Saleen called out.

"Yes?" Fellett looked in surprise at Saleen as he continued by saying, "If you control an alchemy array nine times more complicated and use a green spirit as an ingredient, the effect will be better."

"Nine times more complicated? Green spirit?"

Fellett gave a bitter laugh. He motioned to a chair nearby and said, "Saleen, sit."

Saleen sat down, and Fellett said, "Alchemy arrays even four times more complicated are heirlooms that are passed down for generations. There are no such things among the Clyde family. For stability, I have used the most common alchemy array to process things. As for green spirits…they are too rare."

Before he could say finish speaking, there was already a green spirit the size of a fist in Saleen's hand. Seeing the pure green spirit in Saleen's hand, Fellett was shocked and shook his head. A green spirit was even rarer than a star rose quartz. With quality like this, it was the first time he had seen such a thing. If this had happened in the past, he would have accepted it. However, he did not have any money now.

Saleen thought in his heart: If this was something that could be found easily, I wouldn't have taken it out either. After taking the bracelet from Aini, something did not feel right. That was a gift that a father had given to his son for protection. Even though I had already traded it for something of equal value, seeing Aini in that state, it was certainly heartbreaking.

"Uncle Fellett, Aini and I have fought alongside each other." Saleen placed the green spirit on the table and pushed it over. Continuing, he said, "As for the alchemy array nine times more complex, I happen to know of one. Moreover, it is also one used to control corrosive rays."

Saleen was speaking the truth. He could remember the alchemy array that Faerun had clearly. If it had been any other alchemy array, even if they were only twice as complex, he would not have known them either. This had been his choice from the start. Out of magic medicine, alchemy, or magic arrays, he had only been able to choose one.

However, Saleen had never thought that after becoming a mage, he would have even less time than before. He did not have the time to research other things, and he did not even have the energy to research mid-grade magic medicine.

"But, I have nothing to trade you for this," Fellett said in disappointment.

Saleen laughed and stood up. Taking a piece of paper and pen, he began to write out the formula for the alchemy array that Faerun possessed. Fellett wanted to stop him, but he was stopped by Aini's mother. Seeing this, Saleen felt even more touched.

Aini's mother was a fighter as well. Now, for her son, she was willing to go against her conscience and accept Saleen's goodwill. However, this time, he was not doing it to get them to owe him a favor. He just wanted to simplify his relationship with Aini. Who knew? Perhaps the two of them would cross paths many times in the future. After a great deal of time, he managed to write out the Figaro formula and even drew hundreds of three-dimensional magic patterns. So long as Aini's parents were not too stupid, they would be able to make a set of alchemy equipment using his drawings.

Saleen put down the pen and passed the entire stack of formulas and drawings to Fellett.

"Uncle Fellett, if you do not mind, could you all help me with something?" Saleen said in embarassment with a laugh. He was very sincere.

"Speak." Hearing Saleen make a request, the couple heaved a sigh of relief. Even if he was Aini's friend, this gift was too precious. They did not know that the bracelet they had given Aini for protection was now in Saleen's hands.

Saleen took out the corpse of the witcher spider and placed it on the table. He said, "I came across this by chance. I want to make it into a puppet, but aside from remembering that one alchemy array, I cannot remember any others and my grade is too low…"

Fellett did not say anything this time. He took the corpse into his hands and observed it carefully.

"It is very complete. If processed in a hurry, it would be waste."

Fellett's words were very accurate. A witcher spider was not very rare, but it was not usually easy to find, either. Finding a complete one was an even rarer occurrence. This creature could tear open any defenses that were similar to a magic shield. Obviously, this meant that it could break apart any divine spells that protected the user, as well as any sword aura.

"Uncle Fellett, I will only need to leave in half a month's time. Actually, the purpose of this visit was to talk business with the earl."

"Where should I have it sent after half a month? Where are you staying?"

"The palace."

…

"I will collect it myself," Saleen said in embarassment, thinking about what a fool he was. The palace was not a marketplace. Not anyone could simply enter and leave it as they wished.

Just as he finished speaking, a soft voice came from outside the door, "Master Fellett, time is almost up."

"Okay," Fellett answered. His look did not have any anger as he turned to Saleen and said plainly, "Saleen, I cannot stay with you any longer. Come and get the puppet after half a month."

He might have said it ambiguously, but Saleen understood. The two of them were still under house arrest and even if they had a visitor, there was a time limit to the visit. He nodded and stood up to leave.

Aini's mother stopped him and took out a scroll. Pressing it into Saleen's hands, she said, "I have nothing to give you. We only have these worthless playthings for you. Take it."

Saleen wanted to refuse, but Aini's mother said, "This is a blank scroll. It can cast a spell that is two grades higher than you. Your grade is still low. It will be useful to you."

Hearing this, Saleen knew that this was something the couple had prepared for Aini. Now that he was a death mage, he would not need an elemental scroll like this any longer.

A normal magic scroll could only cast a spell that was one grade higher than the user. This was a blank scroll that could cast two grades higher than the user. Its rarity was not any less than that of the green spirit. However, the green spirit was a gemstone and could be used for a long time, while this scroll was a one-time thing and its value was much less.

Saleen had not expected Aini's parents to be this hospitable. They were completely different from Aini. Giving a deep bow, Saleen left the massive laboratory. The swordmaster at the doorway said politely, "Mage, the earl is waiting for you."

Saleen then remembered what he was here for.

Rushing out of the court, a servant outside was running around anxiously. Seeing Saleen, he looked like he had been saved from his misery. "Sir, follow me now."

His words were slightly impolite. Saleen was afraid that something was amiss and Nailisi had caused trouble again. He had only been gone for a little while and something had already happened. Taking care of a demon was so much trouble. Following the servant into the guest hall, many Clyde swordsmen were surrounding the doorway. Saleen grew frustrated. Could Nailisi have killed the earl's son? However, these swordsmen did not take much notice of him. There were the other four black grand swordmasters. Any one of them could take care of all of these people.

Seeing Saleen return, someone from the crowd shouted, "It is this mage. His people were the one. Catch him!"

Swoosh…

The swordsmen parted, exposing the man who had shouted. The earl's voice appeared within the guest hall, "Get the person who shouted and question him in the back."

Saleen calmed down a little, looking coldly at the man who was in a daze. In Holy Rock City, if a mage did not hurt anyone, you were not allowed to hurt him or her. With the sudden shouts, if the earl's swordsmen had not been thinking straight, not only would he have been injured but the earl would have found it hard to explain too.

Luckily, the swordsmen had all been calm. The person who had shouted must have had some problems. The earl was quickwitted and immediately got someone to detain him for interrogation.

Saleen looked at the slightly fat swordsman who had been pushed onto the ground by the people around him. Saleen walked past the crowd and into the guest hall. Viscountess Lex seemed to have known that he would meet with some form of trouble and had left the four black grand swordmasters here. She truly possessed foresight. Saleen thought about all of these things as he took in what was happening in the guest hall, still a little dazed.