Chapter 174: Blending In

“A soul, existing independently? Isn’t that just a ghost?” Images of the bizarre apparitions he’d seen in the Wizard Tower flashed through Saul’s mind.

“Of course not that kind!” Vini grew agitated. “I’m talking about a complete, independent, and conscious soul— not some corrupted, fractured remnant, driven mad by the unknown.” But as she stared at the red candle, her head gradually tilted downward again.

“They argued for a long time—neither able to convince the other. So Gorsa took Yura away. Haha, the Kema Empire immediately announced to the public that the two had married.”

“And which view did the Tower Master and Lady Yura support?”

Vini didn’t answer right away. The red candle had already burned down by a third, its white flame unnaturally steady.

“They really did become a couple… but one day, Yura woke up and found herself strapped to a dark laboratory table. Gorsa had personally opened her skull and flayed her skin to make a kind of pink bandage.”

At this point, Vini slowly stood up. She turned her head toward Saul.

Through the black silhouette, Saul could faintly make out a tragic smile.

“Gorsa hid the skull and wrapped himself in the pink bandage infused with hatred, sorrow, and fear. That way, he could hold out a little longer.”

Vini suddenly extended her hand and pressed it into the white flame. Shockingly, she extinguished it.

“It smells pleasant, but it only brings temporary peace,” Vini said, withdrawing her hand. Her flat head suddenly twisted ninety degrees to stare at Saul. “Tell me—if one day Lady Yura’s skull and skin are no longer usable, what do you think Gorsa will do?”

Saul didn’t answer.

“Hehehehe…” Vini laughed maniacally as her figure gradually faded and vanished from Saul’s sight.

Saul stood there silently for nearly ten minutes before narrowing his eyes and scanning the area.

The red candle had gone out. At some point, the corpse horde had returned to their original positions.

Vini’s shadow was completely gone—she must’ve returned to Gorsa’s side.

Though she was bound to Gorsa, Vini still had a certain degree of autonomy.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to share all this today.

Still, it was impossible to determine the truth or motive behind her words.

Saul picked up the red candle on the table. “Vini… she’s actually Lady Yura, isn’t she? She just refuses to acknowledge it.”

Tucking the candle away, he also checked the four wounds on his arm. Unfortunately, not one had healed.

His eyes had recovered, but there must’ve been another factor involved.

At 2:00 p.m., Saul went to Kujin’s dormitory.

Kujin was indeed waiting there.

“Senior Kujin, please inform Ferguson: at 2:55 p.m., be ready with enough magic crystals and wait for me at the outermost metal gate on the first floor of the East Tower. If he’s late, I’ll consider the deal off.”

Kujin was stunned, but before he could respond, Saul turned and left, giving no room for negotiation.

Kujin glared at Saul’s back for a long while before heading off elsewhere.

Afterward, Saul went to Mentor Kaz’s laboratory.

Angela, still working there, was so startled at the sight of Saul that she jumped right out of her chair.

“I—I brought food today.”

Saul smiled and nodded. “Thanks, but I’m not hungry.”

He walked to one of the cabinets inside the lab, opened it, and pulled out a puppet doll before returning to Angela.

“Renting a doll.”

Angela instinctively stepped back half a pace. “O-okay.”

Money changed hands, and so did the doll.

After that, Saul wandered around the tower for a while longer.

He visited Wright, then Byron.

Finally, he returned to his dorm—but unfortunately, Keli still hadn’t come back.

He wondered if she’d be shocked to see him when she returned.

Saul lingered for quite a while before heading to the second storeroom at exactly 2:55 p.m.

Ferguson was already there.

It was unclear how long he’d been waiting, but he looked visibly anxious.

“You’re finally here,” Ferguson said, barely masking his irritation.

Saul didn’t bother with pleasantries. “What do you want, Senior?”

Ferguson hesitated at Saul’s directness.

“Having second thoughts? I don’t mind calling it off now,” Saul said.

“I won’t make things hard for you. This is your first time, after all. I need one of the candles from the storeroom—not just a stub, but a full stick from a candelabrum. They don’t have an ID number, and there are a lot of them in there. I doubt you’d be too scared to take one.”

Saul crossed his arms and thought for a moment. “If it’s so simple, why not just grab one from the hallway?”

“The hallway ones are completely different.” Ferguson lowered his voice. “They’re inspected daily. The ones in the storeroom—only you know about them.”

Saul didn’t press for details. “500 magic crystals.”

“No way,” Ferguson growled, eyes flickering with arcane sparks. “It’s just a candle. I’ll give you 200 at most.”

“500,” Saul repeated, holding out his hand. “Or we’re done.”

Ferguson’s cheek twitched, but he finally pulled out a pouch of crystals and a vial of potion.

“I didn’t bring that many. This is a bottle of phantasmic vision potion—worth at least 150.”

Saul took the pouch and swept it with his mental power.

The magic energy inside was pure—roughly four hundred crystals, plus the potion. That did add up to more than five hundred.

Ferguson’s generosity likely meant he intended to use this to blackmail Saul in the future.

Saul was satisfied and stowed the items. “Wait here.”

He headed deep into the second storeroom, circling the reassembled corpse horde. He also counted the lit candelabras on the wall—still more than a hundred—before timing his exit.

When Saul opened the right-side metal door again, Ferguson stood with his eyes closed. Arcs of lightning sparked across his body, radiating the oppressive aura of a Third Rank apprentice.

But having witnessed the strength of Byron, Bill, and even Herman, Saul found Ferguson lacking in comparison.

He approached and handed the box to Ferguson.

Ferguson sensed someone and opened his eyes, immediately seeing the box held out before him.

He snatched it, scanning it with both magic and mental power. Detecting no abnormalities, he cautiously opened a corner.

“Why is it red?”

“A disguise,” Saul replied.

Ferguson had a bad feeling. “I want to inspect it on the spot.”

“Here?” Saul narrowed his eyes, pretending to be impatient.

“The darkness here makes it impossible to hide tricks. It’s the safest place to verify.”

Ferguson pulled out a miniature lighter and lit the candle inside the box.

Fsshh!

The red candle instantly ignited with a white flame.

He stared at it closely. Once he confirmed the white flame was authentic, he finally relaxed.

“At least you’re honest.” Having secured the contraband, Ferguson finally allowed a smile to creep across his face.

But just as he looked up, preparing to teach this greedy newcomer a lesson, he was met with countless human faces.

Ferguson’s hand trembled, nearly dropping the box.

Surrounding him were pale-faced corpses with closed eyes!

“The corpse horde!!!”

As someone who’d privately collaborated with Kujin, Ferguson naturally knew what these corpses were.

They were one of the taboos of the second storeroom!

Each one displayed here had a designated number—each was once a powerful apprentice, even a True Wizard!

Every one of them was a forbidden existence!

Ferguson didn’t even dare to breathe. He could only frantically dart his eyes around, hoping to find a way out.

Suddenly, his rapidly moving eyes froze.

There—in the center of the horde—stood Saul, the only one with open eyes, silently watching him.

(End of Chapter)

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