“If you don’t speak up, I will have to deactivate the Secret Method Seal,” Rosyth warned.
Pearney sighed, “You should understand, if Billerie’s actions cause the curse within Toyennes to become uncontrollable, he will inevitably look for ways to transfer it—the potential recipients being you, me, or himself. No one can escape it. Only a madman like Billerie would do such a thing.
Originally, under Toyennes’s condition, he needed not transfer the curse’s power for a short period, but now—it’s hard to say. Ivan, you probably don’t have much time left.”
The words from the other side caused Ivan’s heart to sink, realising Billerie had resorted to a desperate measure, sacrificing a great deal to harm many; indeed, they all might get caught in the crossfire.
He noticed a problem, “Wait, did you say Toyennes could even transfer the curse’s power to Billerie? Isn’t he outside the castle?”
Pearney replied, “What else? Why do you think Billerie and I have survived so long? It’s because we are valuable to Toyennes. From our observations, when the curse’s power was first transferred to us, it still belonged to Toyennes; the moment one of us dies, the power would undoubtedly return to him.
It’s only by living that we can gradually integrate the curse’s power—the longer we live, the more we integrate, allowing Toyennes to continue transferring the curse, and preventing the curse from affecting him after death.”
This, surprisingly, seemed like good news.
Suddenly, Ivan thought of something, “Does that mean I could take this opportunity to ask Toyennes for a small favor?”
“Pfft,” Pearney laughed at his suggestion, “You might as well try, I really think highly of you, haha.”
After discussing for a while, they did not come up with a solid plan; after all, they were far less powerful than their opponents and could only bide their time and look for a good opportunity.
The next day.
The sky was clear and the light filtering through the clouds was exceptionally bright, yet Ivan felt an unstoppable chill spreading within him.
An hour ago, a Cloud Fog servant had brought new orders from Toyennes, instructing him to visit Lahr Hall at noon.
Little did Ivan expect Pearney’s words to come true so soon. Earlier, he had been smug, prepared to watch the drama unfold, but just days later, the boomerang hit him back—such is the fickleness of fate!
Some things, after all, cannot be avoided. Experience new tales on M V L
When noon arrived, Ivan discovered he was not the only one notified; he was actually the first on the list, followed by an excited Laurie, who was probably anticipating some good fortune.
“Chirp, chirp.”
Led by the Cloud Fog servant, Ivan didn’t enter Lahr Hall but was directed to a nearby windowless room.
The door opened, and a chilling air rushed towards him.
It was a laboratory. Upon entering, Ivan could sense several high-energy fields, and his eyes were drawn to various biological specimens floating in solution within glass containers—magicalized wild beast hearts, horns, claws, tentacled eyeballs, and other grotesque creatures, including large insects and odd fishes resembling human organs.
His pupils constricted.
A familiar head, suspended in gel and looking vividly lifelike, belonged to Rosyth, who had disappeared shortly after arriving on the island.
So, Rosyth had ended up in the mentor’s laboratory early on. No one else was to blame; he just hadn’t understood his own worth and position.
Even for an enemy, Ivan felt a pang of melancholy.
“Ivan, good boy, come over here.”
Toyennes’s call snapped Ivan back to reality, as Toyennes sat comfortably inside the laboratory, his face still adorned with a mild smile.
Ivan stepped forward and bowed, “I am pleased to meet you, Mentor.”
Toyennes nodded slightly, “Ivan, I remember telling you that knowledge has its price.”
“You did, and I remember it very clearly.”
“Good. Then I will share with you a portion of power, a lively power. What do you think?”
Indeed, that was Toyennes’s intent. Ivan mentally calculated the chances of striking back and getting killed—likely ninety percent, with the remaining ten percent leading to imprisonment. Either outcome was grim.
“If it could repay you for your kindness, Mentor, I see no reason to refuse.”
“Very good. You are a sensible man, unlike some who only take without appreciation of the kindness shown to them.”
Toyennes was satisfied with his answer. He rolled up the sleeves of his sorcerer robe to reveal his arm, which bore a dark teal pattern that covered half of it. The lines of the pattern, intertwining like venomous snakes, had a uniquely ferocious appearance.
Ivan glanced at it subconsciously and immediately felt a bone-chilling cold, which frightened him so much that he hurriedly averted his gaze.
At Toyennes’s gesture, he rolled up the sleeve of his own left arm.
Toyennes, with a solemn expression, drew a small orb of energy from the dark teal pattern while muttering a spell. He then flicked the power accurately onto Ivan’s left arm, who felt his arm scorched by a fiery heat and involuntarily shuddered.
Toyennes lowered his sleeve, “This is the Spring Trees Seal; it will benefit your practice of the Meditation Method. You’ll gradually come to understand it when you return.”
Much good that does me!
Ivan silently cursed, certain that this so-called Spring Trees Seal was indeed a curse, as the membrane of light itself showed changes.
[Curse Skill: lv0(1/10)]
He had never imagined that this would bring about a new subject for him, which was somewhat consoling.
However, Toyennes’s words did not seem to be false; the curse mark emitted a warm sensation that oddly soothed the nearby flesh and skin, clearly benefiting the body.
He also noticed that the curse mark created a certain connection between him and his mentor, which he guessed would be another troublesome issue.
Seeing his apprentice not moving, Toyennes asked in surprise, “Ivan, is there anything else?”
Ivan looked at him, “Mentor, this couldn’t possibly be the Spring Trees Seal, could it?”
“What do you think it should be?”
“A curse, a deadly one at that. I suspect the previous apprentices died because of it, and I will eventually meet the same fate.”
Ivan bluntly exposed his mentor’s deceitful words.
No sooner had he spoken than even the air in the lab became tense and dangerous, a formidable aura emanating from Toyennes and enveloping him.
At that moment, Ivan chose not to back down.
As he had told Pearney, he intended to assert a few requests, requests that were insignificant to Toyennes but critical for his own survival.
The worst-case scenario was a falling-out, potentially costing him his life a few months early and causing Toyennes’s initial investment to be wasted. As no one cherished his own life more than he did, he could not just wait idly for a chance to live; he had to fight for himself.
After a while, Toyennes finally asked, “Ivan, what do you want to do?”
“I just want to survive, to live longer rather than awaiting death obliviously, hence my audacity to make a small request.”
“Let’s hear your plan.”
“To better survive, I want to know more about this curse. Additionally, I hope to create potions for the mentor. During my time at Flying Fish Port, I worked as a Pharmacist at a clinic where I restored an incomplete mid-grade secret medicine back into an easily concocted Breathing Secret Medicine.”
Ivan took out the prepared potion recipes from his pocket, one for the original Whirlpool Potion and the other for the Ocean Blue Potion, demonstrating his apothecary skills.
These two requests were the result of much deliberation, his knowledge in Apothecary Skill potentially holding the key to breaking the deadlock and suiting the current circumstances, for which he was willing to take a risk.
Toyennes glanced over the two potion recipes and could easily discern, with his experience, that these indeed were recipes of equivalent medicinal effect, confirming the truth in Ivan’s words.
“Ivan, knowledge has its price, and they are of little value to me. What else do you have?”
“Also, there’s the leftover time. I assume that living longer could help share more of the curse’s burden with the mentor. So please, mentor, consider your student’s request seriously.” Ivan decided to advocate for himself to the end; if the other party became angry, it would just mean he had misjudged his own worth.
Toyennes’s expression was unreadable, but Ivan could feel an impending volcanic eruption brewing within him.
“You’re quite smart. I will consider your request, now go back.”
“As you command, mentor.”
Leaving the laboratory, Ivan’s back was soaked with sweat, and he let out a deep breath of relief.