106 Joey’s Tricks Part 1 (1/2)
How important was Saleen? Before this, this question would have been very easy for Viscountess Lex to answer. However, she had been unbelievably shocked by the magic array that Saleen had drawn. She also knew of a magic array like this, and it did not matter how ugly Saleen had drawn it. She could see the similarities within.
”You want to know his secrets?” Joey asked straightforwardly.
If Lex was willing, he could easily extract Saleen’s memory even though it was not something he would usually do. However, if it was Lex’s request, he could not care less about what he himself wanted.
”No, I only hope he survives. Master, do you believe in fate?” Lex asked.
”Fate is but an arrangement by the gods. Of course, that is nonsense,” Joey replied and laughed.
”Yes. Since fate has nothing to do with the gods, I hope he survives.”
”Lex, you are as stubborn as your father.” Joey shook his head, the laughter gone from his green eyes.
”Joey, both Saleen and I have our own small secrets. These secrets might end up changing the Myers Mainland, or perhaps they are just an arrangement by the gods. However, I am a mage and to know the results I will need to find them out myself,” Lex said seriously, looking at the immobilized Saleen.
Saleen had once been just an investment to her and it had not mattered whether there was anything to gain from him. However, things were different now. Saleen’s secrets had at last caught her attention.
”For me it is nothing but a small matter, but for him, it is a matter of life and death. What do you request?” Joey halfheartedly granted Lex’s request. Saving the life of a Grade 2 mage was a small matter in his eyes, but that did not mean he would go around saving just anyone.
For a person to gain, they needed to lose. This was a principal for all mages. If Saleen wanted to live, he would need to sacrifice something.
”I still do not know. Just let him follow me for now. Some things cannot be forced.” Viscountess Lex suppressed her longings and said this nonchalantly.
Kindness was something that could backfire if it was repaid too early. Moreover, Saleen’s teacher was too secretive, and if she went too far, it would not do the empire any good. If his teacher had managed to become friendly with a Grade 9 sorcerer, it would not be good to offend him.
Sigh. If only those people from Alchemy City had listened to the royal dispatch. Would the empire still have been in conflict with the Holy See for this long? They would have attacked a long time ago.
Saleen entered a borderless darkness. The Darkness Screen spell was an interesting spell, but it was not so much fun to enter it. The effect of this magic was completely reliant on the user’s motives. Moreover, this magic definitely demonstrated the difference between grades.
Many spells did not have a fixed grade. For example, the Fireball spell could be cast as soon as a person was Grade 2. However, in Faerun’s hands, the Fireball spell had constantly been upgraded. The fireballs that Faerun now released had the strength of a Grade 6 spell.
The Darkness Screen spell was a spell that started at Grade 4. Saleen did not know what grade Joey was, but to be able to solve a problem that a Grade 8 sorcerer could not solve, he must have been at least Grade 8.
A Grade 8 Darkness Screen spell had a much deeper meaning to it. Saleen had learned the Figaro formula and could easily analyze the sequence of a Grade 1 spell, and could try analyzing a Grade 2 one. If he had enough time, he could even analyze Grade 3 magic. As for Grade 8 spells, if he started now and analyzed it until he died, he would perhaps be able to analyze the tip. He could not see, could not hear, and could not feel. Even with the sensation of having his senses stripped from him, Saleen was not flustered. If Joey had wanted to kill him, he had more than ten thousand ways of doing so. Moreover, this was not something he had not experienced before. When he had first used his family badge, he had not been able to feel anything but pain. Some things became easier after getting used to them.
At least Saleen could still feel his existence now, particularly with his left hand. His magic chords and focus had not disappeared, and he tried releasing a Fluorescence spell.
The magic was released successfully but Saleen could not see any light.
Elemental counteraction…
This was a property of Dark Magic; any Light Magic would demonstrate the characteristics of elemental rejection. These two types of magic were hard to control and Saleen had only been able to read up about them using magic notes. Usually, mages interacted with the four basic types of magic: ground, water, wind, and fire.
Within this magic radius, any elemental magic below Grade 7 would be counteracted. This magic was so simple. It suppressed any magic under its grade and left one powerless.
The simplier it was, the harder it was to deal with. Even if Saleen had been a Grade 7 sorcerer in that instant, he could have only forced his way in and used a Grade 8 spell to destroy the Darkness Screen spell.
What was someone to do in eternal darkness? Saleen did not know what others would do, but after experimenting with a Grade 0 spell, he slipped into deep thought.
Everything that he had done since beginning to study magic flowed through his heart, and he realized that his goal had always been so insignificant. It was either to live or live slightly better. That was all.
In comparison to him, everyone else was living a better life. His teacher had left his country of origin to go to a foreign city to train and find his future on his own, Baron Cook had wanted to restore his family’s glory, Canghong had wanted to excavate ruins to become rich, the holy masters did not even need to be mentioned, and even the dead Loki had wanted to bring back a dragon’s magic nucleus to make Lex happy.
What were Viscountess Lex’s ambitions? Saleen thought carefully and realized that he did not really know Lex.