Chapter 26: The Covetous

[Your student Carly looks up to you with great admiration, admiration +20]

System message popped up.

Lucien rubbed Carly's little head, gently tousling her hair.

"Let's go, your quest is not yet complete." Lucien patted Carly's shoulder, signaling her to continue her mission.

...

"Instructor Lucien." After handing over fifty crow beaks, Carly gave Lucien the two Magic Stones as the quest reward. After all, Carly had not forgotten that the equipment she was carrying had been sold to her by Instructor Lucien.

Lucien looked at the two Magic Stones in Carly's hand and after a moment's thought, reached out and took one of them.

"Instructor..." Carly looked at Lucien, resembling to hand over the remaining Magic Stone.

"Keep the rest in mind and pay back half each time," Lucien said while gently pressing Carly's hand. After all, she needed the stones now to study witchcraft models and the like. Instead of taking one or two Magic Stones from her, it was better to think of other ways to earn Magic Stones.

But before figuring out how to earn more Magic Stones, Lucien needed to deal with some prying eyes lurking in the dark, or at least divert their blatant stares away from himself.

"Hmph... According to some people's assumptions, they probably think I have only a few days left, huh?" A flicker of murderous intent passed through Lucien's eyes as he thought about this.

"Instructor Lucien?" Carly, who was by his side, noticed the change in Lucien's expression and hesitantly asked.

"It's nothing, just a minor issue," Lucien reassured her gently.

Carly bit her lip lightly; she suddenly remembered what Yellen had told her, and a few worries inevitably arose in her heart.

"Instructor Lucien, your injury..." Carly looked towards Lucien.

"It's nothing." Lucien gestured slightly with his hand, indicating Carly to drop the subject.

Carly slowly lowered her head, but her hand gripping the bow tightened a bit.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen." Lucien comforted Carly, seeing her tense look.

Carly lifted her head but still worried that Instructor Lucien was merely comforting her. Hesitating for a long time, she fidgeted, unsure of what to say.

"Instead of spending time worrying, you'd be better off studying," Lucien said irritably, tapping Carly's little head. "Have you figured out the principle of the Multiple Blazing Arrows? Did you finish your daily practice today? Have you completed the practice section of the 'Wizard Prodigy' model construction basics?"

"No, Instructor Lucien, I was wrong," Carly covered her head, especially twitching her face several times at the mention of "Wizard Prodigy." For some reason, hearing Instructor Lucien's three soul-searching questions at this moment, she felt much more relaxed.

"Then get to it!" Lucien scowled at her.

"Yes! Goodbye, Instructor Lucien." Carly lifted her head and scurried away.

"She's just a child," Lucien said with a slight smile as he watched Carly run off.

"Hmm?" But soon, Lucien's expression subtly changed, and he scanned several inconspicuous little bugs nearby without making a sound before casually returning to his quarters.

"It seems someone is getting impatient, huh?" Lucien mused with a cold chuckle in his heart.

After switching to the modified Greybone Meditation Method II, his spiritual power greatly improved in purity, enhancing his Perception.

He had just sensed a faint fluctuation of spiritual power from those little bugs.

It was clear that these tiny flying insects were the "eyes" of some Wizard Apprentice.

"Hmm—" After walking quite a distance, Lucien seemed to "realize" and swept with his spiritual power, directly crushing those few spiritual power-tagged insects into powder.

"It seems to be a rather formidable Second-level Wizard Apprentice." After crushing the few insects, Lucien silently felt the weak layer of spiritual power clinging to their bodies and made a rough judgment.

"Well, it saves me the trouble of finding a target myself if they come out on their own." Lucien slowly exhaled, his eyes becoming somewhat deep.

The following days were somewhat calm before an impending storm.

Lucien simply couldn't be bothered with the peeping gazes hiding in the dark and spent his days instructing Carly, which was quite relaxing.

"Mentor Lucien, I did it!" Inside the laboratory, Carly gently pulled back her bow, and at this moment, the two arrows mounted on it had been successfully enchanted by her simultaneously.

"Not bad," Lucien commended with a smile. "We'll find a task someday soon to give you a chance to test it out."

"Yes." Carly nodded excitedly.

"Let's stop here for today, and you should head back to rest early too." Lucien glanced at the time and signaled that Carly could leave.

Carly packed up her bow and arrows, and after a slight bow, she trotted out of Lucien's laboratory.

The nights at Greybone Academy were always quiet. Carly had long grown accustomed to the tranquil atmosphere of the evenings.

However, just as she walked not too far away, she noticed two figures near the roadside, not far ahead.

Carly slowed her steps, a hint of vigilance in her eyes.

As she got closer, the vigilance in Carly's heart reached its peak.

For among the two people here, she recognized one—it was Yellen, with whom she had a conflict before.

At this moment, he was staring at her, a creepy, forced smile on his face.

Carly gripped her hunting bow tightly, at the same time slowly backing away.

"Carly, I came here especially for you today, bringing Lord Apollo," said Yellen, his smile blossoming as he watched her. "This is a good thing, a very good thing."

Carly took out two arrows from her quiver, her mind silently starting to construct a witchcraft model.

"This Lord Apollo is a peak Second-level Apprentice, only two spiritual runes shy of breaking through to a Third-level Wizard Apprentice," Yellen praised while his eyes remained fixed on Carly.

Seeing the bow and arrows in Carly's hands, he felt somewhat disdainful.

After all, in Yellen's view, bows and arrows were more like weapons for ordinary people; not even to mention wizards, even some physically strong knights weren't too afraid of these weapons anymore.

"I need a research assistant." Apollo, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. He looked at Carly, a satisfied gleam in his eyes. "I need you to cooperate with me in an experiment. If you agree, I am willing to take you on as my student."

Although she was only a First-level Wizard Apprentice, her spiritual power seemed quite refined. Having her as the material for his experiment could perhaps increase the success rate of it.

If she cooperated obediently and the experiment succeeded, he should also be able to smoothly advance to a Third-level Wizard Apprentice. By then, what's the harm in giving her the title of an apprentice?

Moreover, this was the perfect opportunity to test Lucien.

Apollo's gaze turned toward Lucien's residence not far away, greed flickering in the depths of his eyes.