Chapter 288: The Visitor |
The young girl—whose average age was probably in the hundreds—was currently using her charm aptitude on her master.
Unfortunately, Saul’s emotions hadn’t yet returned to normal. He simply stared at An’s adorable face, his voice icy as he spat out two words:
“Go back.”
The six-armed girl, now renamed An, shrank her neck and instantly turned into a streak of black light, vanishing into the diary.
In the next moment, the round platform began shaking more violently. The black display screen fell to the floor with a bang but, surprisingly, didn’t shatter.
The white lab coat on Saul’s body slid off like flowing water, transforming once more into the black apprentice robe.
His octopus-like tentacles tightened and retracted, reverting to long, human arms.
Saul closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, he was back in the Black Castle’s laboratory.
As he awoke, the effects of the Grinding Sound Fruit potion began to wear off rapidly.
And yet, the world in Saul’s eyes was still swaying.
Only after steadying his mind did he realize—he was being shaken by Little Algae.
So it wasn’t that his time had run out, but that someone had forcibly pulled his “plug.”
“What is it, Little Algae?” Saul wasn’t angry. He knew the little plant must’ve noticed something.
As soon as it realized Saul had awakened, Little Algae moved aside. A new dark green vine extended from the ventilation shaft above, unfurling slender, hand-like leaves in front of him.
Saul placed his hand upon the leafy palm and activated his mental power.
In an instant, he entered the world of the Black Castle’s vines and received their sensory information.
A carriage had entered the Black Castle Forest. It had already passed through the Mushroom Path and was just about to reach the gates of the Castle.
“Someone’s coming?” Saul withdrew his hand. “Got it. Vine, stay alert. Notify me immediately if anyone else approaches in secret.”
The dark green branch twitched in acknowledgment.
The Devil Vine was the massive plant rooted beneath the Black Castle.
Its tendrils spread throughout the forest, and when fully active, it could monitor all movement across the entire area.
Since becoming the Castle’s temporary master, Saul had kept the Devil Vine at full operation.
After all, compared to the previous veteran Third Rank apprentices, his means of self-defense were still lacking.
Now that it was confirmed someone was coming by carriage, it likely wasn’t with ill intent.
“It’s only been three days since I became the Black Castle’s temporary master. The Wizard Tower probably hasn’t received word yet. So the visitor must be from Borderfall City, which is only half a day away.”
“They probably already know about Mochi Mochi’s death. Are they just here to say hello, or do they have business?”
Saul mentally reviewed the sensations relayed by the Devil Vine.
“The wheel tracks are heavy—looks like they’re carrying supplies. Could it be a delivery?”
Stepping out of the magic circle, Saul accepted the cloak Little Algae offered, which had been casually draped over a chair earlier.
He caught it with one hand and gave it a slight shake, letting it fall over his body from head to toe.
Then he strode out of the lab and descended the stairs.
As he moved, countless black vines sprouted instantly from the walls. Thick as pythons and devoid of leaves, they slithered along the stone like slick serpents, overlapping and intertwining with the sound of skin rubbing against skin.
They followed closely behind Saul, giant black tentacles that accompanied him to the entrance of the Black Castle.
The next moment, Saul reached out and opened the door—just as a familiar figure stepped up the last step.
Wizard Apprentice Buri.
Saul narrowed his eyes slightly.
“It’s only been a few days, but your presence is even more imposing now, Lord Saul,” Buri said, a bright smile quickly appearing on his face.
“Greetings. What brings you to the Black Castle?”
Buri casually stepped aside and gestured toward the carriage behind him.
“It’s nearly time for the Castle’s scheduled supply delivery. I assumed you’ve taken over as the temporary master, but just in case you had any additional needs, I thought I’d stop by and lend a hand.”
Saul glanced at the carriage. There was a faint magical ripple, but nothing strong. He couldn’t sense any other presence either.
“Come in. I’m still getting familiar with this place, but another apprentice will likely replace me soon. When that happens, you might need to send someone from your side again.”
“Of course, no problem at all.” Buri entered with a smile. “Shall I help you carry the goods inside?”
Saul gave a sideways glance. “No need. I’ve got plenty of labor.”
The two walked down a narrow corridor until they reached a slightly more spacious hall.
It had been lavishly decorated by Mochi Mochi—perfect for entertaining these court-trained apprentices.
While they entered the castle, deep green vines emerged from the ground and slithered into the carriage.
With its magical defenses already withdrawn, the vines faced no resistance as they coiled around a large crate of neatly sealed supplies and ferried it through the castle’s rear entrance.
While the Devil Vine dutifully played the porter, Apprentice Buri had already settled into a plush, comfortable couch, praising Saul’s aesthetic sense.
“These vines on the wall—did you plant them? They look even more grand than the original Devil Vine.”
He praised aloud, but inside, Buri was cringing.
These dark element wizard apprentices had the strangest taste! Who in their right mind would plant unsightly climbing vines all over their walls?
Especially these black, leafless things that twitched now and then—more like a nest of black pythons tangled together.
It made Buri’s skin crawl, though he maintained a polite smile.
Saul, unaware that Little Algae was triggering Buri’s trypophobia, continued chatting calmly, secretly clasping his hands tightly together beneath his robe.
The force he used made the bones in his fingers creak and groan.
Buri paused mid-sentence and looked around. “Huh? What’s that noise?”
Saul’s hands ached, but his expression remained unchanged. “Probably the vines. They’re a bit more active than the Devil Vine.”
As he finished speaking, the vines on the wall squirmed even more enthusiastically.
Buri’s mouth twitched. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to give another forced compliment.
“Don’t mind me. Please continue.”
“...Then I’ll go on about the situation in Grind Sail Town,” Buri said, trying his best to ignore the writhing walls. “The corruption has been completely cleared, but that land won’t be habitable for at least ten years.”
“Ten years isn’t that long.”
“True, but if people settle there afterward, there’s a high chance of deformed offspring. Not sure if the Wizard Tower would be interested. If not, the Duchy is willing to offer five hundred living test subjects to purchase the area outright.”
Saul didn’t respond. “That’s something the next master of the Castle can decide.”
Buri froze briefly, realizing Saul wasn’t interested. “Ah—yes, of course,” he said, quickly dropping the topic.
“The old man you asked me to look after has already settled in a village near Borderfall City. I bought a hundred acres of land and hired twenty servants to care for him. I also gave the local nobles a heads-up. Don’t worry—his remaining years will be worry-free.”
Saul only gave a light nod, asking no more.
Underneath his robe, his clasped hands tensed once more.
Seeing that Saul didn’t seem interested in continuing the conversation, Buri understood he wasn’t exactly welcome. Since the main points had been covered, he stood to leave.
“Then I won’t disturb your research any longer. I hope your stay at the Black Castle is pleasant. If you ever come to Borderfall City, you’re always welcome at the City Lord’s estate.”
Saul rose with him, merely nodding in response to the small talk.
He escorted Buri to the foyer, watching as the man boarded the now-empty carriage and disappeared into the dark woods.
The moment the carriage vanished from sight, the heavy front door slammed shut—snapped closed by a black tendril.
And in the very next second, Saul collapsed to the ground.
Clutching his chest, he curled into a ball.
Little Algae rushed out, helpless and confused.
Saul struggled to lift his head, his eyes bloodshot.
Through clenched teeth, he growled, “Damn it—the Grinding Sound Fruit extract has major side effects. My emotions are completely unstable right now.”
“Just thinking about all those diary pages I gave up and destroyed... makes me want to cry!”
(End of Chapter)
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