Chapter 371: The Busy Sorcerer

Solomon carried the soaking wet Cheshire Cat and his wand onto the balcony. With a strong gust of warm air conjured by his wand, he dried the feline's messy, damp gray fur. Summer had arrived, and like any ordinary cat, Cheshire was shedding fur. Solomon had to use magic to rid it of all the stubborn clumps of hair.

He had plenty more tasks awaiting him.

He called Bayonetta to confirm the dinner menu and extended an invitation to Athena for a family dinner. Preparing a Michelin-worthy meal required substantial effort. Thankfully, magic significantly sped up the process, ensuring the food was not only cooked to perfection but infused with exquisite flavors.

The witches were delighted. The black truffle and foie gras-stuffed chicken breasts were tender and juicy, with every seasoning deeply infused into the meat. Athena, too, was impressed with Solomon's culinary magic. She felt his newly invented spells were a valuable addition to the realm of domestic magic but couldn't help suggesting that the dish would pair even better with some pickled olives and red wine.

The witches didn't socialize much, so Solomon planned to invite Maya Hansen and Summer Sho to dinner next time. He was confident they wouldn't decline, and the witches would enjoy the company of their mortal friends. However, even the perfect dinner couldn't deter Jeanne from sleeping between Solomon and Bayonetta. Only after Jeanne fell asleep would Bayonetta quietly wake Solomon for their late-night escapades in the bathroom or on the sofa.

Before the school term began, Solomon wanted to check on the research progress in the Undying City. He had poured substantial resources into the secret organization, with the artificial human army and AI servers being major expenses.

The artificial human army was slowly taking shape, and the AI servers were awaiting the arrival of a woman named Root to complete the installation. But there was good news: Maya Hansen seemed to have made progress. However, as she enthusiastically rattled off technical terms, Solomon automatically tuned out—some words were incomprehensible even to his Tongues spell.

It wasn't until she tossed the research report at his face that he realized he had been zoning out.

He also made a trip to Kamar-Taj headquarters, where sorcerers returning from extradimensional battlefields were gathering.

Compared to when they departed, these sorcerers' mental states had clearly changed. Many had used magic to take a life for the first time. Normally, extradimensional beings would think twice before invading, deterred by the Ancient One's formidable presence.

The recent dimensional anomalies caused by the Convergence had forced them into action. For most of them, it was their first experience of combat. Psychological counseling was standard procedure, and the seasoned sorcerers at Kamar-Taj were adept at helping novices adjust, ensuring they didn't succumb to darkness. After all, Kamar-Taj sorcerers were prized recruits for interdimensional demons, and the Ancient One wouldn't allow such defections.

Thus, Kamar-Taj was fortified with countless protective spells, and all combat-experienced sorcerers were required to stay at headquarters for debriefing.

At Kamar-Taj, Solomon was a well-known figure. The typical trope of arrogant novices challenging everyone in sight didn't exist here. Solomon himself wasn't that type either. Though he hadn't yet reached the Ancient One's level of blending into the crowd, he was friendly to everyone. The sorcerers warmly greeted him whenever they saw him.

Given his habit of teaching others how to craft dimensional bags and generously handing out alchemical potions, the warmth he received was well-deserved.

"How come you're here? Last I checked, you were at the Hong Kong Sanctum during the dimensional conflict," Solomon said, surprised to see a familiar young sorcerer. "Don't tell me you're here for the light meals."

"Not exactly," the young sorcerer replied, looking dejected. "I got caught in a fight while delivering food. Look at this!" He rolled up his sleeve to reveal a bandaged arm. "A little demon scratched me. There were all sorts of creatures in the dimensional rift—seraphim battling demons, demons fighting other devils, and angels swooping in to attack both. Purple sprites from the Violet Dimension, steam serpents from Phordo, spectral entities from the Hall of Dread... everything that spilled out of their dimensions was clashing."

"Sounds like a catfight." Solomon chuckled. "Looks like you got scratched by a feisty one."

"It was a demon, not a cat! Its tail was venomous!" The young sorcerer complained. "Now I have to go through a debriefing too. Honestly, cooking extradimensional creatures always feels weird. I end up making slop from things I've never even tasted before."

"Do you... still have any of that extradimensional cuisine?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I'd like to give it a try."

Solomon was collecting the contract from Professor Randolph when he ran into Coulson.

"Feels like you've been camping out here, Coulson," Solomon grumbled, waving the parchment. "This is my job. Don't tell me you're here to interfere."

"You know that's not the case." Coulson sighed. He was caught in a tough spot. Fury had learned of Randolph's true identity, and while Solomon's warning had persuaded him to hold off on further investigation, Fury still wanted to discuss the contract Solomon had granted Randolph. Fury suggested that if Solomon was willing to issue contracts to Asgardians, perhaps he might consider offering some to "trustworthy" Skrulls.

Solomon dismissed the idea outright.

Coulson was well aware of the Skrulls, having worked on missions involving them.

"Our agreement with Asgardians is different," Solomon explained, visibly annoyed. "The first Sorcerer Supreme, Agamotto, made a pact with Odin. We deal with extradimensional threats; Asgard handles matters within the material plane. That agreement has held for tens of thousands of years."

Solomon's tone turned grim. "I won't get into the origins of the Skrulls, but understand this: no matter their intentions, they are notorious parasites. Earth is the perfect host for them. Humanity has already fought and barely survived a war against them in the past."

The sorcerer's voice grew colder. "I don't want to see history repeat itself. Tell Fury to abandon his delusions and be ready to put down any Skrull nearby. Fury's trust might be valuable, but to the Skrulls, it's worthless. They can't be trusted—this is common knowledge. If Carol Danvers shows up, let me know. I'll be sure to teach that fool a lesson."

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