Enchantment
“Don’t worry, we won’t abandon you!”
Giant tossed a detailed map that had a route marked out in red to Leylin.
“After completing your mission, follow this route, and you’ll definitely be able to leave safely before any other Magi find out. The Lord behind us will divert Reynold’s attention, and we’ll provide support as well.”
Giant spoke calmly, even going out of his way to mention the rank 2 dark Magus supporting Thousand Meddling Hands. It was obvious that he was trying to threaten Leylin.
Leylin was silent for a while. “I will try…”
If it was much too dangerous, he wasn’t going to risk his life for this organisation!
“Alright! You’ll find that this is a very simple and effortless mission!” Giant smiled, “After finishing this, you can rejoin us as a dark Magi! How about it? Which academy or organisation do you want to join? Just tell me.”
Leylin shook his head. He had no such plans yet, and he still did not entirely trust Giant’s words.
If one was not shrewd when dealing with dark Magi, it was certain that they would be taken advantage of so thoroughly that every last bone of theirs will be gobbled!
“Alright! To ensure that things go well, you will need to sign this!” Giant threw a black scroll to Leylin.
“Hm?” Leylin looked through the contents of the scroll and was amazed. “A Trial’s Eye contract? After I have taken the solvent of the Nefarious Filthbird’s feathers, you still dare to use this?”
“This is a special contract that the Lord behind us specifically made for you!” Giant pointed out, emphasizing the last three words. “Also, that solution was the very last one in our organisation. If you can find another, we can only blame it on our bad luck.”
It looked like he was quite confident about this.
“Hehe… in that case, you’re the first person who dares to do something like this!” Leylin scrutinized Giant and smirked.
At the same time, the phantom giant serpent suddenly opened its mouth wide and bit towards Giant!
*Rumble!*
As it neared Giant, the phantom giant serpent suddenly collapsed and turned into a mass of shadow, slamming against Giant’s green fog and producing the sound of waves crashing on the shore.
“Haha… I was just cracking a joke! I’m but a regular member in the Thousand Meddling Hands, so how would I dare to pit myself against elders like you?”
A bright, gentle smile suddenly appeared on Leylin’s expression!
“You’ll become an elder soon enough! After this operation, I can nominate you!” Giant spoke after a moment’s thought.
“In that case, thank you!”
Leylin lightly tapped on the scroll, and the imprint of a black snake instantly appeared on it.
*Rumble!*
The apparition of the Trial’s Eye gave Leylin the feeling that this was even more powerful than the one that Reynold had summoned the previous time.
Under its emotionless gaze, the scroll in Leylin’s hands began to spontaneously combust.
Green flames enveloped the scroll.
The moment after the scroll completely burned up, a ray of light that represented the contract and its restrictions flew into Leylin’s mind.
Afterwards, the apparition of the Trial’s Eye automatically dispersed into the air.
He had skimmed through the contract. The only conditions were that he could not help the Four Seasons Garden; there weren’t any harsh conditions. After all, they still needed his help and could not go overboard.
“It didn’t detect traces of the acts of the Nefarious Filthbird?” Leylin wondered.
He then left the area without a word.
Only Giant was left standing quietly in the basement as if he was waiting for something.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Minutes later, Giant’s body, which was covered in green fog, began to shudder violently, and the wall behind him suddenly exploded!
After the dust settled, a large portion of Giant’s fog had dispersed, revealing a giant figure that was up to 2 metres tall.
“Crazy! That person’s a lunatic!”
Giant murmured to himself and proceeded to laugh maniacally. “Haha… Good! Interesting! Things are getting more interesting!”
He then transformed into a green fog and drifted out of the area.
Behind him, the basement gave way and dust filled the air…
The next day, Leylin punctually arrived at Reynold’s office at seven in the evening.
“Lord Reynold!” He knocked on the door gently.
“Come in!” From behind the door, Reynold’s gentle voice was heard.
Leylin took in a deep breath and pushed the door open. Reynold was seated on a chair of vines, wearing a pair of spectacles as he drank a green beverage. Beside him was a little round table and a similar chair.
“Leylin, you’re here! Take a seat!” Reynold pointed to the chair beside him.
“Many thanks!” Leylin bowed once more and sat near Reynold.
“Here! Try the juice of the Jaded Daro Flower! We’re just having a private conversation now, so don’t be too reserved!” Reynold seemed just like a hospitable old man.
As if a little embarrassed, Leylin gave a slight smile and drank from the cup on the table.
The refreshing scent of nature pervaded his taste buds and extended throughout his four limbs. Leylin felt as if warm water was rinsing his body and making him feel rejuvenated.
“How is it? It tastes pretty good, right?” Reynold asked with anticipation.
“The collections of an elder like yourself are pretty good!” Leylin praised sincerely.
“Haha…” Like a child who had received a compliment, Reynold laughed aloud brightly.
“Here, let us have a friendly chat. Leylin, you seem to be from the Chernobyl Islands right? I went there once when I was young. Resources are scarce in such a barren land, and it’s lacking in Magi…”
Reynold was a very entertaining speaker, and he began to chat with Leylin about his past experiences.
As they spoke leisurely, time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, an hour had passed.
All of a sudden, Leylin suddenly smelt something very sweet.
“What is this?”
“It’s a type of incense from the Wetland Gardens. It’s said to be useful in replenishing one’s spiritual force, and is a favourite of the Magi there.”
Reynold explained lightly, his voice seemingly less and less discernible. A thread of silver spiritual force slowly extended.
Leylin’s expression became slacker and he could feel his eyelids becoming heavier. He eventually fell asleep.
Seeing Leylin in a deep sleep, a smile appeared on Reynold’s face.
He took off a ring on Leylin’s hand and inspected it closely.
“Ring of Sobriety? Looks like it has a few other effects that can defend against probings! There are seven different potions smeared on it as well. Looks like you’ve prepared well, but it’s a pity…”
Reynold glanced at Leylin with a victorious smirk.
“The juice of the Jaded Daro Flower, as well as the pollen from the Intoxicated Dragon Petals, are something even a rank 2 Magus might not be able to withstand. What use is a mere ring and potion?”
These two items were a special combination that Reynold had picked out specifically for Leylin. Some of them even had to be transported from the secret plane, and he had used up a portion of his allowance as the chairman to obtain the items.
This had delayed his plans and allowed Leylin to have the chance to wreak havoc in the Four Seasons Garden.
Of course, since he had paid such a huge price, the effects were superb.
A peak rank 1 Magus was an existence that even a rank 2 Magus like Reynold needed to be careful of! Also, these Magi also had special methods, and might have had a high resistance against hallucinations and enchantments. What was more troublesome was that Leylin was still a member of Four Seasons Garden, so without actual evidence, Reynold could not do anything that might have severe aftereffects.
As an experienced, veteran rank 2 Magus, this was not a problem for Reynold. Now, using a special concoction, he had made Leylin pass out.
In addition, these two ingredients were not harmful to the body, and at most, they would cause Leylin to faint. His resistance to hallucinatory magic would be temporarily lowered, but after this, his body would ultimately benefit in the long run. Hence, Reynold was not going against the contract with the Trial’s Eye.
“Even so, the effects of this type of hallucinogen will not last for a long time. With his body, he’ll awaken in about half an hour, so I have to be quick.
The vined chair under Reynold began to move until Reynold was right in front of Leylin.
“Open your eyes and look at me!”
Reynold spoke lightly, his voice having a strange effect that made one feel dazed.
As he spoke, silvery white rays of light shot out of his eyes. This was the appearance of the solidification of his spiritual force!
Upon hearing Reynold’s words, Leylin’s eyelids flickered and then opened.
“Your name?”
Reynold asked, the silvery white rays so intense that they seemed to be on the verge of piercing through Leylin’s eyeballs.
“Leylin Farlier!”
“Where were you born? Do you have any relatives?”
……
The questions Reynold asked were quite simple at the beginning, and as time went on, he went deeper and increased the difficulty.
Soon enough, after tens of questions, he got into the heart of the matter.
“Why were you wanted by the Lilytell family?”
Reynold asked gently, with some tremors in his voice.
“It is because in order to obtain an inheritance from a ruin, I killed Bosain Lilytell!” Leylin answered in a dazed manner, unable to control the words that spilled out of his mouth.
“What inheritance?” The silver light in his eyes became more concentrated.
“An inheritance that contains incomplete information about the Branded Swordsmen! There’s also a high-grade magic artifact.” Leylin answered.
“Is that so?” Reynold shifted his glasses.
“Branded Swordsmen? A branch of the ancient Magi?” He sized up Leylin’s body.
“A tall and strong body with some brands on the surface. It seems quite similar to the legends…”
As his vitality was amazingly high, the muscles on Leylin’s body were now very obvious, and he had a terrifying amount of strength within. If he tried to impersonate a Grand Knight, nobody would doubt him.
“In that case, what is your relationship with the Thousand Meddling Hands?” Reynold came to the key question.