Chapter 92 (2/2)

Just as Link had explained, Derek could finally make out the outlines of the Light spell in the structure of the horse. But it was far from the ordinary version of the spell. Link had created something so innovative that no one else would be able to imitate!

Derek could already predict how well this magic scroll would be received in Springs City. Marvelous! I won’t let these magic scrolls part my hands without getting paid 20 gold coins for each! thought Derek, full of determination.

Derek’s lacking entrepreneurial skills were obvious from this idea. Any shrewd merchant would know that these scrolls could fetch at least a hundred gold coins each!

Of course, Link wouldn’t reveal the fact to Derek even if he could hear Derek’s current thoughts. After all, producing magic scrolls was, to him, just a way to get closer to Bale. Even if he wanted to start doing it seriously to earn money, he would do it later himself and would definitely not trust a cheapskate like Derek to handle things for him.

“I’ll pay you three gold coins for each magic scroll like this,” said Derek, pointing towards the scroll in front of him. His previous animosity towards Link had completely vanished after seeing these magic scrolls.

“Thank you, Mr. Derek!” replied Link, not forgetting to put on a look of joy.

When Link left the room, Derek became lost in his train of thoughts. He now realized that Link was more than a simple Magician’s Apprentice. He had a vague feeling that he was falling into a trap set by Link. But the problem was, he felt the trap was so alluring that he himself wasn’t willing to escape, as it was brimming with gold coins. The ecstasy he felt from owning a mountain of gold coins that he could spend and squander however he wished was something he wouldn’t let go of that easily, even if it meant that he was caught in somebody’s trap.

“That damned kid, he’s got me firmly in his hands!” cursed Derek. He then got up and left the room to find Emily. He had to appease his new lover.

Although he couldn’t fulfill his promise to her, he knew the only reason she wanted the position was because she was attracted to the many perks that came with it. And now that he was in no shortage of gold coins, he was confident that she wouldn’t stay angry with him for long.

What I wouldn’t give to have that nice body of hers all to myself, thought Derek, now lost in his lustful fantasies. He was so eager to meet his lover that he failed to notice how Link had been observing his every move in a corner.

So he’s resigned to his fate now, huh? Link could easily read Derek’s thoughts just by watching his actions.

Derek was like a frog that Link trapped in a pot of cold water, to which he then increased the temperature so slowly that it would not notice any changes in its surroundings until it was too late. Figuratively speaking, Derek was now a boiled frog – no longer a threat or even a slight obstacle to Link.

Link then returned to his own little room. He didn’t prepare any magic scroll or read any books. Instead, he started to work on his thesis.

The theories in Link’s thesis were the basis of his modification of the spell Edelweiss, which he regarded as a great success. This made Link realize the enormous potential of his unfinished thesis, so he became more motivated to work on it now.

Today was quite a productive day for him. He had a lot of inspirations for new ways to advance his flow of deductions. He had been working intensely for a full hour before he felt exhausted and unable to focus. Link saw no point in straining himself further, so he put down his quill and picked up a textbook instead.

Level-3 spells were still not strong enough for him. Link anticipated the day when the Ailing Mana effects subsided and his Mana would be as high as 1480 points, enough to cast Level-5 spells.

Still, the quality of the spells purchased from the gaming system was just too low. Not only was their power disappointing, the spellcasting speed was too slow as well, which rendered them completely useless in battles. Unless it was absolutely necessary, Link wouldn’t waste any more of his Omni Points to purchase new spells from the gaming system. From now on, he would learn and master the spells through his own efforts.

Learning magic was a complicated business. As the theories got more convoluted and impenetrable, the slower Link had to pace himself through each point and each fact. Nevertheless, his progress had been slow but steady.

Time passed, and it was now the dead of night. But in the small space beneath the narrow staircase in Bale’s Mage Tower, the young Magician was still hard at work.

Meanwhile, Derek was still busy fooling around with his new lover, the genius Magician Eliard had already gone to bed after a long day, and the angel Herrera was in her own Mage Tower, enjoying a moment of quiet solitude as she sipped at the sweet Dragon Wine imported from the South.

In a city of pleasure paradise called Mollendan in the Southern Free Trade Confederation, a dark-haired girl suddenly gazed up at the night sky. In a sea of bright flickering stars, a dazzling meteor swept across the heavens.

“How are you getting on right now, Link?” murmured the beautiful demon Princess into the chilly air. A gust of wind blew past her, and the girl pulled up the hood to cover her face as she slithered away quickly into the darkness. Behind her, pursuers kept trying to hunt her down.