Chapter 112: Elizabeth

Chapter 112: Elizabeth

As Elizabeth stored the box in her spatial ring, Raven adjusted his monocle and inspected her.

…

[Name: Elizabeth Octavia Merlino

Age: 38

Nationality: Zenith Empire (Arcane Mist Empire)

Affiliation: Teacher of Darkcross Knight Training School (Official Member of Velvet Eclipse)

Title: *********

Class: Acolyte Wizard (7th Circle)

Health: Normal

Attributes:

Strength: 7.5

Agility: 7.00

Vitality: 7.5

Luck: 2.0

Spirit: 19.9

Class Skills:

Shadow Conceal, Fireball, Shadow Steps, Dark Bolt, Fire Shield, Eye of Darkness, Ember Whip.

Additional Skills:

Intermediate Swordsmanship

Cypher Eyes

????????

Affinities:

Shadow: Low

Fire: Low

Sword: Intermediate.]

…

'At first, I thought my spirit power was too low to find all the information about her completely. But my guess is wrong, huh? She is indeed not normal.'

As Raven looked at her status, Elizabeth returned her gaze towards him and asked.

"So, what is the real purpose of your visit?"

Raven leaned on the sofa and spoke.

"I want to know more about the Mainland Continent. Why did Wizards come to Ivory Island? What is their true goal? And tell me more about Velvet Eclipse. What is its true goal?"

[Isn't the Velvet Eclipse more of an intelligent organization?] Zera asked.

'I thought of the same at first. But after I found out that even a Rank-3 Wizard from the Wizard Alliance is a secret member of the Velvet Eclipse and is trying to poach talent from a Findlay family, I realized this organization is not a simple one.' 

Meanwhile, Elizabeth was surprised by her question.

"Why do you want to know?" She couldn't help but ask.

Raven turned his face solemnly and asked.

"Why shouldn't I? It's logical to know more about the invaders. And I'm not a normal person but a prince of this land. I have every right to know."

"Truthfully, it's almost impossible for anyone from the Mainland to leak even a single word about the outside to the people here. Before we arrived here, we made an o-." She abruptly paused and turned towards the rectangular black box on the left side table.

She stood up instantly, moved towards it, and opened the black box by touching the top.

After that, she took a unique hand watch and wore it in her left hand before saying a few words in a strange language.

"Activate Corecirclet 45355325."

A second later, an illusionary holographic image of a mouse appeared on her shoulder.

[An artificial spirit?] Zera said in a surprised tone.

'You are also an artificial spirit, right? Does that mean the mainland residents can create artificial spirits easily?' Raven was shocked, too. He thought he was the special person with a system but didn't expect even his Teacher to have a similar existence, helping her.

[It's most likely an arcane fragment.]

"An arcane fragment?" He couldn't help but ask.

"You knew of the Arcane Fragments?" Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise.

In the meantime, the strange illusionary mouse also stared at Raven and asked.

"You also possessed one, aren't you?"

'It can sense you?' A startled expression appeared on Raven's face.

[Not now. But it must have sensed my presence during your rebirth. And for your information, I'm not an arcane fragment. You can think of me as Arcane Relic, a rank above Arcane Fragment.]

Meanwhile, the illusionary mouse leaped towards the coffee table and stared at him.

"What should we do about it, Eli? Can we take it?"

"Teacher, I didn't know a mere fragment can talk all big." Raven stared back at it coldly.

"Arcane fragments choose their owners, not vice versa, Whis. Why are you teasing him?" Elizabeth couldn't help but shake her head.

Then, she turned her gaze towards Raven and asked.

"Did you have a fortuitous encounter in the Mirage woods during the practical exam?"

'Should I say yes?' Raven pondered.

Noticing him not responding, she waved his hand and spoke.

"Never mind. Everyone has secrets, after all. I have mine, too. But not so grand one." Her gaze moved towards the illusionary mouse, resurfacing the memories.

In truth, Elizabeth got this artifact due to pure coincidence when exploring her family's old library one day. At first, she considered it a powerful artifact capable of changing her whole life. But she soon realized that this mouse was in a sealed state and could only help her learn external skills like swordsmanship, spearmanship, archery-type skills, unique skills, etc.

It doesn't have information about Wizard Spell models, elemental circlet techniques, alchemy-related stuff, runes, or even spirit techniques. When she complained, it told her to find the other fragments to learn more.

Before she could figure out how to find the rest of the fragments, her family sent her to this faraway land in the name of a mission and ruined her plan. Still, she learned a few skills during the past two decades. Among them was a skill called the 'Cipher Eye,' which could allow her to see what others couldn't. 

And that's how she found Raven's talent in memorization.

'But this is far from what I thought. Not only is Raven the prince of the Empire, but he also holds many secrets.'

"Whis, I need you to protect me from the oath's effect from affecting me for a few minutes. Can you?"

"As long as you don't say anything about Velvet Eclipse, I can prevent the information from leaking and influencing the contract, " the mouse named Whis answered.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth looked at Raven and spoke.

 "You are the first to know of this guy's existence besides me. Let me introduce him officially: His name is Whis, an arcane fragment left behind by my ancestor. Although he claims to possess all the knowledge and skills, he has barely helped me so far, " she said, looking annoyed.

"That's because you lack talents!" The mouse refuted.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders and spoke to Raven.

"The answer to your first question is wrong, Raven. We aren't invaders!"

"You can think of us as Harvesters."

 "Harvesters?" Raven furrowed.

"We came to this island with two main objectives. First, we came here to harvest ingredients. Some potion ingredients can only be found here. While similar ingredients once existed on the Mainland, we depleted them over time, leaving the land ruined by corrupted mana. Of the 100 alchemic ingredients commonly used, about 90% can be cultivated in alchemic gardens. However, the remaining 10% must be grown in their natural environment. Take the Astral Pine tree, for example—it takes over 10,000 years to produce its rare blue sap. Unlike other ingredients, it cannot be cultivated in an alchemic garden, as it requires a location with pure mana. Once harvested, the tree will take another 10,000 years to produce sap again. This blue sap is a key component of a Rank 7 mythical potion. Similarly, other rare ingredients are hidden on this island, especially in the unexplored regions. Many wizards are tasked with retrieving these resources and sending them back to the Mainland. In return, they receive contribution potions based on the rank of the ingredients they provide."

"Contribution points?" Raven interjected.

"They can use the contribution points to get artifacts, potions, or even some exclusive techniques," Elizabeth responded.

"What about the second purpose?" Raven asked.

"Harvesting talents." Elizabeth paused for a moment and then added.

"I can't say much about the Mainland's secrets due to the oath, but tell you one thing. The Mainland is not a peaceful place like Ivory Island, Raven. In truth, the Mainland has been divided into multiple factions. Humans aren't the only race that dominates the Mainland. The Mainland has been at War with-" She suddenly stopped talking and shook her head.

"I can't say much about them. Due to the presence of corrupted mana in the mainland atmosphere, almost all of them are born with low affinities only. Even I, a daughter of Rank-4 Wizard, have only two low-rank affinities and one intermediate-rank affinity."

"Does that mean there are people born with no affinities over there?" Raven asked.

"No, any soul born in this world must have at least one affinity. Your case is completely different. After the corrupt mana entered the Mainland, souls with a chaotic affinity appeared. Over time, a large number of babies are born with chaos affinity. They usually grow up as normal humans but always align with bad things-" She stopped talking again and added.

"Let's just call them "Evils." Before we knew it, new religions appeared all over the Mainland."

"Religions?" Raven furrowed.

"Yes. The Evils started corrupting people in the name of religion while worshiping an evil being called 'Morning Glory' and have grown even to oppose the most powerful factions. They rule over one-third of the Mainland and have been constantly at War with humans and other lawful races."

[It's how the demons spread chaos seeds to turn humans into demonic humans. After that, they use the demonic humans as vessels and descend to this world.] 

"Demons?" Raven asked.

"You knew?" Elizabeth couldn't help but be taken aback.

"The strange goblin that annihilated the Azmar Town. It's not a goblin but a demon called 'Blood Imp.' There was no mention of demons even in the Battle of Hearth, which is said to be happened around 10,000 years ago. But such a being appeared in the Azmar town recently. There is no way it appeared out of thin air. It should be brought in by the outsiders or created here through experiment."

"Yes. But unlike us, the 'Evils' only recently arrived stealthily at the Ivory Island a few decades ago. While Wizard Alliance and Velvet Eclipse aim to harvest talents by creating a suitable environment and nurture them to become good soldiers, the 'Evils' aim is to turn humanity into corrupted soldiers." Elizabeth said with a sigh.

'If the situation is serious, why did they keep the potion recipes secret?'

[If everyone can access the potion recipe, many will try to get their hands on the ingredients and make potions themselves.] Zera answered.

'Isn't it a good thing?'

[Let me give you an example. Two people are in a room with many potion ingredients for an Adept Rank potion. One of them is you. How many potion ingredient sets do you need to concoct an adept rank potion?]

Raven thought for a moment and answered.

'Twenty sets.'

[Yes. And the other person is a Peak Rank Adept Alchemist. How many potion ingredient sets does he need per potion?]

'Most probably around 2 to 3 sets.'

[Imagine if there is only a limited supply of ingredients, like 1000 sets. And you take 500 sets while the other guy takes 500 sets of potions to concoct in the name of equality. What will be the final result?]

'I will be concocted around 25 potions while the other guy will be concocted around 200 to 250 potions.' Raven finally understood.

[Exactly.] Zera said solemnly.

At that moment, Elizabeth continued. 

"Due to the War on the Mainland, the strength of the lawful nations, organizations, and factions has diminished considerably. Although an affinity potion is available, the ingredients to get them can only be obtained in a normal environment like this place. That's why Arcane Mist Empire started exploring the chaotic sea and finally found this island continent."

[Kid, ask her the rank of the Arcane Mist Empire's top powerhouse.] Zera asked seriously. It was the first time Raven felt her tone became this serious.

Nodding, Raven looked at Elizabeth and asked.

"What is the rank of the strongest person in Arcane Mist Empire?"

Although surprised, Elizabeth didn't think much and answered truthfully.

"That should be... I can't say his name. But he is the ruler of the Arcane Mist Empire and has more than 1,000 powerhouses like Gavin under him."

[She isn't mentioning his rank or name, huh? I suspected much. Then, ask her the rank of the strongest person on the Mainland.]

'Why?' Raven couldn't help but ask.

[Do you think the Wizard Alliance. No, will the Arcane Mist Empire stay still once they know you killed a Legendary powerhouse of theirs? If they have a Paragon-like powerhouse, they will likely send an Arch-Wizard next time. A Wizard far stronger than Gavin.] Zera said solemnly.

'So, we need to know much about the mainland, huh?'

Raven nodded and asked the question.

"Who is the strongest on the Mainland, Teacher? What is their rank?"

"Hmm, four people on the Mainland are said to be the strongest. And the history records say that all of them are far stronger than anyone could imagine. But no one knows their real strength because they never appeared on the battlefield after the War of… After a War that happened 10,000 years ago." She paused for a moment and then added.

"But you don't have to worry about them appearing in the Ivory Island."

"Why is that?" Raven couldn't help but ask.

"Those Powerhouses are the nation's pillars. Even if one of them moves away, their nation will face a security threat." Elizabeth continued after taking a deep breath.

"Although the Wizard Alliance will try their best to look for you, they won't do anything reckless that would damage their reputation."

Raven nodded his head and then asked.

"What about Velvet Eclipse?"

At that moment, the illusionary mouse interrupted their talking.

"I'm almost at my limit, Eli."

Elizabeth nodded solemnly and answered.

"Velvet Eclipse… I can't say anything about its origin due to the oath, but I can give you a little information. It's not an evil organization, but it's also not a good one. As for how it works, we receive orders from time to time and need to complete them within the time limit. Or else, the higher-ups won't even hesitate to discard us." Her face started to pale as she spoke, revealing that she had received a slight backlash for leaking vital information.

"Another thing is that this organization is deeply rooted in many parts of the mainland factions like Arcane Mist Empire and has a very deep background."

"Are there ranks within this organization?" Raven recalled Franco and Ophelia as elite members, while Elizabeth was only an official member.

"Yes. It starts from the Apprentice rank, then Official, Elite, Core, Master, Elder, and the Leader. The badge I gave you is an apprentice rank badge we use to give to the seeds we select. If the Velvet Eclipse approves them, they can leave this island and become official members."

"Their goal?" 

"While the Wizard Alliance's job is to create a suitable environment for talents to gather, Velvet Eclipse's job is to find potential seeds among them and recruit them."

'Just like I'm searching for the talented kids, huh?' 

"That's why every elementary school in the towns and cities has at least one Velvet Eclipse member working. Our job is to analyze every student's uniqueness and report the data to the organization."

A look of amazement appeared on Raven's face.

"That's why you supported me even when the headmaster gave up when I was in the Knight Training Academy?"

"No. At first, you showed a talent that surpassed other kids, but you soon ended up in the lowest rank. I even received a harsh scolding from my father for picking up a boy with trash talent. I supported you even when the Velvet Eclipse gave up because of my eyes. I learned a unique skill from Whis that could allow me to analyze whether a person has a talent. Although I can't tell what unique skills you possess, I can vaguely perceive how many skills you possess. When I checked you first, you only possessed one talent. But I secretly rechecked you during the end of elementary school studies and learned you awakened two more! That's why I quit the elementary school teacher and moved to the Knight Training Academy as an Etiquette Teacher." 

[She sure stalked you a lot.]

Elizabeth soon touched the handwatch and spoke.

"You can stop now, Whis. I already said all the important information."

"Haa, I need some rest, then. Don't wake me up until it's necessary, " the illusionary mouse said solemnly, turned into a streak of blue light, and disappeared into the handwatch.

Meanwhile, Raven quietly sat on the sofa and pondered.

After thinking for a whole minute, he looked at Elizabeth and spoke.

"Are you willing to form a Magic Contract with me, Teacher?"

"Magic Contract? What for?" Elizabeth stared at him in surprise.

"I need some crucial information in the future while you need support to rise in rank." He suddenly took a sealed letter from his inventory and placed it on the coffee table.

"I officially invite you to join my Golden Wheel organization."

"Golden Wheel?" Elizabeth stared at the letter for a second and asked.

"Please elaborate."

"The organization's goal is to help me rise to become the Next Emperor." Raven relayed the conditions he had told Daley Findlay and gave his offers.

"It's only been a year, but you have already achieved this much, huh?" Elizabeth took the sealed letter and then nodded.

"Your goal is to let me rise in rank in the Velvet Eclipse and become your informer, huh?"

"As long as you reveal some information with the help of the fragment, we can work together for a long period, Teacher." He paused for a moment and then asked.

"What do you think? Are you willing to become an official member of the Golden Wheel?"

"Hmm, I can't betray the Velvet Eclipse due to the oath, but I can help you with other information related to Arcane Mist Empire and Wizard Alliance. Some conditions are harsh, but I can benefit greatly from them." She fell into deep thoughts and soon asked.

"Can I keep my identity secret from other members?"

"Of course. I also give a unique code name to every member, so you don't need to worry about your information being leaked out." Raven answered.

"Hmm, but won't my face be exposed during the gathering?" Elizabeth felt it was a bit risky for her face to be seen by other members. Unlike others, she was a foreigner. So, they would instantly become wary of her and might try to find out her real identity.

'And if they just do a background check of Raven's past, they can instantly track back to the Darkcross Town and discover everything about me.' She felt contemplated.

Raven was also aware of this problem and answered.

"Don't worry about that, Teacher. I'll provide a mask with 'Distort Face' and 'Vocal Veil' spells engraved on it before the gathering date. So, no one could find out your true identity."

'Two spells, huh? Then, he should've at least an Adept Rank Rune Wizard in his possession.'

Elizabeth nodded her head and asked further.

"And what is this gathering for? When will it start? Can you tell me more about it?"

Raven thought for a second and answered.

"I'm planning to host this Golden Wheel gathering randomly. During this gathering, you can exchange items or information among the members with equal value. For example, you can exchange an Adept rank potion for the same rank equipment or a potion. And I'll also keep the members updated with information and give out missions individually. If one completes that mission, that person will be rewarded, too." 

"Hmm, there is nothing for me to lose then. When do we sign the contract?"

Instead of responding, Raven placed an empty magic contract parchment on the tablet.

"It seems you came here well prepared." She couldn't help but feel she had been the one who got taken in.

Meanwhile, Raven took a pen and ink bottle and started writing the conditions for joining the Golden Wheel and the restrictions.

Once he wrote all the information, Elizabeth picked up the parchment and started reading it.

At that moment, the runes glowed as Elizabeth examined the clauses.

"Hmm, there are loopholes that can backfire."

Raven smiled. "That's why I expected you to modify it. Go ahead—make your changes. I want this to be something we both agree on."

Elizabeth pulled out a quill, dipped it in ink, and began rewriting sections of the contract.

"Neither party should be forced to act against their moral principles… Either party could terminate the contract under mutually agreed-upon conditions…"

Once satisfied, Elizabeth placed the quill down and returned the parchment to Raven.

He read through the changes carefully and nodded. "Reasonable conditions."

Elizabeth's expression remained solemn.

"Let's imprint our blood then."

Both of them pricked their fingers, allowing drops of blood to fall onto the parchment. The runes flared to life, intertwining their essences and binding the agreement.

The contract dissolved into sparks of light, indicating its activation.

Raven and Elizabeth felt a strange mark appearing in their souls' deepest part.

[Why are you trusting her so much? You could've waited for a little longer.] Zera complained in his mind.

'It's not about trust. I lack information most, while Elizabeth lacks a backer to help her rise in rank. Her family seems to have given up on her and already discarded her. Although she is a foreigner, she helped me more than others.'

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Teacher," Raven said as he stood up from the sofa.

Elizabeth also stood up from the chair and nodded her head.

"Then, I'll be on my way," Raven said, walking towards the door.

"How long do I have to wait for the next gathering?" Elizabeth asked.

"Maybe a few years. I'll keep you updated through letters. " Raven said so, opened the door, and walked out.

"Oh, I forgot to ask him about the secret code." Her gaze slowly moved towards the letter in her hand.

She opened the letter and soon saw a word in rune language.

"Shadow?"

"This title does suit you better." An illusionary mouse suddenly appeared on her shoulder and spoke.

"Didn't you say you need rest?" Elizabeth furrowed.

"I'm not a real living being that needs rest. Anyway, that kid has some familiar scent that makes me uncomfortable. Be careful of him," Whis said before turning into a streak of blue light and disappearing into Elizabeth's handwatch.

"Haa, I never expect to receive something big as a return." She touched her spatial ring and took out the wooden box.

"It seems he even saw through my soul and checked which affinities I have." She opened the box and looked at the two vials with a smile.

…