Chapter 94 The Shadow (17)


    After about thirty minutes of waiting in the lobby, the researcher came out.


    He handed me a ss bottle filled with ck slime, saying,


    I understand you need it for alchemy research, but I sincerely hope you dont have any ns to ingest this by adding it to a potion.


    Given the number of times he emphasized not to eat it, the substance must be rather toxic. Even the color suggests its something you shouldnt consume.


    You dont have to worry about that, I assured him.


    I wish you the best of luck with your nned endeavors.


    Thank you.


    Now that I had all the ingredients, all that was left was to let the Doflers blood be absorbed by the Mdirut and wait a day or two. Hopefully, there will be a proper effect.


    Thank you for your help. Oh, may I go down to the basement?


    Are you referring to Miss Luna? Shes not likely to be conversational, given the brief intervals she maintains consciousness.


    Thats fine.


    With the researchers permission, I went down to where Luna was kept in the basement.


    Luna, visible through the bars, remained unchanged from before. Pale-faced, she didnt seem to stir, as if she were deceased. Looking at her, the difort in my heart wouldnt subside, the seed of torment sown by the ck magician still not entirely removed.


    I do not know why the Sword of Light fell to me. But certainly, it wasnt bestowed upon me without reason. There is a use and a purpose for it.


    Though no ancient texts, scriptures, or encyclopedias urately define the purpose of my sword, I had been feeling it little by little, intuitively knowing what need be cut down with this de.


    It wasnt logic or reasoning. It was closer to a spiritual resonance.


    I remained involved in Lunas affair because I still felt there were targets left for me to cut down.


    I pulled a leather pouch from my waist and took out the Mdirut I had inside, dipping its roots into the jar of Doflers fluid.


    Even if Zverevs recipe doesnt work, its alright. In one way or another, Ill find a way to annihte the scribes and rip to shreds the things that pierced through Luna and my abdomen.


    ***


    Trisha arrived at the main entrance earlier than promised and got into the carriage. Lying on the carriage seat, she raised her head slightly, waiting for Damian. As she spotted him in the distance, she opened her script to cover her face, pretending to be engrossed and unaware of his arrival.


    Damian entered the carriage, his demeanor showing signs of dejection. Without a word, he closed the door and prompted the carriage to set off.


    Lying on the seat, Trisha mumbled lines from the script while asionally sneaking nces at Damian.


    He appeared as deep in thought as he had been that morning.


    No evening greeting, no idle chitchat.


    Trisha couldnt hold back her impatience for him to start the conversation, so she decided to break the silence first.


    Stupid Damian.


    He turned his head slightly towards Trisha, remaining silent before speaking.


    Did you just call me?


    Trisha replied in a gruff tone.


    No, just talking to myself.


    Why?


    Dont know But did you meet with Cecil?


    Yeah.


    What did you talk about?


    Not much, then we said goodbye.


    Her mood lifted somewhat upon hearing nothing substantial had happened. Perhaps the reason for his gloominess was not getting along with Cecil.


    Concealing a smile, Trisha responded,


    Looks like things didnt go well with Cecil, huh.


    See? I told you shes quite prickly to people shes not close with.


    Damian remained silent, prompting Trisha to tease him with an air of superiority.


    Oh dear, our poor Damian, making friends isnt so easy!


    Why are you in such high spirits?


    Im not at all excited, she imed, turning her attention back to the script and humming a jaunty tune. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she called out to Damian again.


    Hey, you know what?


    What?


    The day after tomorrow is the first day of the joint sses. Are you prepared?


    No, Ive just found out.


    Good heavens, if it werent for a friend like me, who would inform you about these things? Right!


    Yeah, thanks.


    Peeking over her script, Trisha looked at Damian and asked cautiously,


    Anyway so have you decided who youre going to group with?


    What about you?


    Im grouping with Cecil, alchemist Bertang, and spiritist Marta. So, how about you?


    Nothing. I guess Ill just go with whoevers left.


    Her tone implied she wasnt the least bit concerned about her group partners. Trisha narrowed her eyes and voiced her anxiety with an unsettling tone,


    Hey, arent you being toocent just because you did well in the entrance exam? Some from the Combat Department are fiercely training their eyes on the top spot!


    Her reference to Combat Department students like Victor and Gale, ferociously sharpening their swords and recruiting group members, was urate, not to mention the obvious Sion.


    When Damian looked down at Trisha, she quickly raised her script to cover her face.


    Hem-hem! Anyway, I heard this time its all about teamwork. Wouldnt you befortable if you findpatible team members now so its smoother sailing for the next group practices?


    I should look into it soon, Damian murmured, brushing his hair back and sighing silently. He seemed preupied, unable to spare a thought for the uing joint ss despite it being imminent.


    Trisha lowered her script again, cautiously gauging Damians reaction.


    So, um would you think about joining our group?


    Arent you already four?


    Bertang I might try asking if we can switch him out for you Cecil is likely to be the leader We do need someone who wields a sword in our group


    Dont you get along with Bertang?


    No! Its just really inconvenient to be around him. Cecil knows its a rough rtionship, so shes been keeping me apart from him intentionally. Anyway will youe? With me there, itll be easier, wont it?


    Damians expression was lukewarm, revealing nothing of his inner thoughts.


    ***


    Bertang had seated his group members Marta and Cecil across the table from him. Cecil, evidently exhausted, slouched against the back of her chair.


    Ive gathered you both for a reason. This information is crucial. The uing joint ss is, in fact, weighted more heavily toward alchemy than spirit user.


    Cecil asked,


    Why?


    Because all the professors overseeing the ss are from the Alchemy Department. Moreover, the group leader must be an alchemy student. Strictly speaking, these group formations are centered around alchemy students to which students of other departments are attached. The n and direction of the groups activities will be solely determined by the alchemy student leader.


    Hearing this, both Cecil and Marta wore skeptical expressions. Cecil didnt like the idea of being ruled by a leader she couldnt trust.


    Rubbing her temples, Cecil expressed her discontent,


    I dont like this ss. Why impose such restrictions?


    Marta chimed in as well,


    Do we really need an alchemist? We can do without one.


    Come on, I get that youre not thrilled, but Im in this position, so Ill do my best. Plus, theres a caveat about group formation.


    What is it?


    Every time a group member is switched out, the group leader and that specific member lose points.


    Cecil countered,


    So shouldnt that not concern us? We dont need to switch anyone out.


    Bertang shook his head,


    No, the original group formation will be decided by random selection, so no one can escape the point deduction.


    ***


    Luna slowly opened her eyes. Sensations in her body felt subtly different than before. She hadnt woken up feeling this refreshed and devoid of fatigue in a very long time.


    She also felt good, though she didnt know why. Had she received a new potion in her sleep?


    Perhaps the details of a happy, peaceful dream had evaporated upon wakingonly an indistinct emotional residue lingered.


    Next to her bed were letters from her friends. Only part of Lunas family knew of her situation, and her friends knew nothing. They were only three, but good people who tried to understand her.


    Her friends believed Luna was living a happy life in Eternia.


    They rejoiced to hear she had topped the ranks in Eternia and wanted to hear her stories, who she met, what sses she attended, the amazing events that unfolded, and how enjoyable her life was in Eternia.


    They could never imagine she was physically wrecked from a curse, not attending sses but rather bound by chains in a prison of bars without even sunlight reaching her.


    Leaning against the headboard of her bed, she pulled out a sheet of parchment and calmly started writing a reply to her friends.


    Luna penned down stories of dreamsdreams she had long harboured as if they were real.


    She wrote about Eternias beautifulndscapes that never wearied the eyes, mentioning asional strolls through the student za and Grace Mountain.


    How the quirky students of the Department of Magic performed strange experiments leading to funny and preposterous mishaps.


    She told of energetic and cheerful ssmates, not as bright as her friends but full of life, making her school days vibrant.


    And then she added tales about a man who wasnt particrly handsome or talented but, like her, bore many scars, and how she was slowly learning to open her heart to the opposite sex through interactions with him.


    Thus iming she was now so happy.


    What she did not write was how, in reality, both her body and soul felt drowned in filth.


    How each night, she trembled in fear, feeling abandoned by the world, before falling asleep.


    After cing a full stop, she briefly hugged her knees and buried her face. Thinking of her situation made her tremble uncontrobly.


    Some of her waking hours drifted by as she struggled to erase the pain.


    During this time, Luna suddenly felt a faint stream of magicing from somewhere.


    She slowly turned her head towards it.


    There it was, just lying outside the white bars that she couldnt see beyond before.


    A ss jar. Inside was a nt with roots extending out.


    It was peculiar, a bare root without water in an empty jar.


    Above the jars opening, a faintly magical flower poked out its head.


    A strangely gorgeous and dark red flower, so lifelike and brimming with vitality as if it had just bloomed from a budsomething she had never seen in all her life.