Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Hey, Kayla, how did you come here?” Mason asked excitedly as he brought Kayla into the cave. To meet a familiar person unexpectedly in the middle of the Shadowglen, where undead creatures roamed about, was a pleasant surprise for Mason.
“It was just a coincidence…”
When Kayla spoke of that, he was at the mouth of the cave. Lin Li clearly saw how he froze in shock at the beginning before hiding his emotions with a smiling face to talk to Mason. He exclaimed excitedly, “Mason, you are so lucky to find such a good place! How were you these few days? Hope you did not have too much trouble to deal with!”
“Yeah, there was really nothing much…” Mason replied Kayla after thinking for a while. He was right. Not to mention the Skeletal Warriors, the Hell Ghouls were also killed by Felic instantaneously. As for the high-level Vampire they encountered afterwards, there was the level-18 Shapeshifter that dealt with it. In the past six days they spent together, there were really no obstacles at all.
“It’s really a good place…” Kayla commented as he entered the cave enviously. He couldn’t believe that there was such a gem hidden in the Shadowglen; if he had found it sooner, he would not have faced so many challenges…
“Hello, Mage Felic, Mage Orrin. I can’t believe that we meet again!” Kayla greeted the two men by the campfire affably.
“You’re right, what a coincidence…” Lin Li was full of smiles when he greeted them back, but his gaze was on the young mage standing behind Kayla.
This person looked like he was in his 20s, which was around the age of Kayla. He was good-looking and slender. The silk black robe on him had particularly delicate craftsmanship, and he could see some faint signs of magical waves on it.
After the young mage walked into the cave, he saw Larry and his companions, and Larry was wrapped in a thick blanket, drooling in his sleep by the campfire.
The young mage frowned, and his eyes showed hints of disdain.
“Come, everybody. Let me introduce him to everyone,” said Kayla in an extremely friendly tone, although underlying it was a slight sense of ingratiation. “This is Mage Sarsen from Nightfall City. Oh, yes. Mason, you should have heard of the reputable Mage Salson, right?”
“Oh, yes…” Mason replied as he nodded. “Welcome welcome, I’m surprised that Mage Sarsen would participate in the trial too.”
Unlike Mason, who treated him with extreme hospitality, Sarsen only nodded coldly. There was a hint of arrogance that surfaced in his eyes.
“This is Mage Felic, and this is Mage Orrin…” Kayla was very agreeable as he took the initiative to introduce them as though he was the owner of the cave.
“Mage Orrin?” Sarsen looked at Orrin immediately, and did not even acknowledge Lin Li’s presence. The emotionless expression on his face when he entered the cave transformed into a surprised one.
“You are Orrin from Rotterdam?” He entered the cave
Ever since Lin Li came to Alanna, he had been used to being ignored by everybody. When Sarsen treated him like air, he just touched his nose, and did not feel awkward at all.
Sarsen’s actions was very natural too. Ranking of mages was everything in the world of magic. How would a level-seven mage and a level-nine mage deserve his respect?
There should only be one person in the entire cave that he needed to show his respect, and that man was Orrin.
The prodigy of Rotterdam was indeed true to his name. Despite his young age, Orrin was already a level-11 mage. Maybe after one or two years, he would reach his current level…
Sadly, he had shown this respect wrongly.
After hearing Sarsen’s greeting, Orrin did not even bat his eyelid. His gaze was fixed on the flickering flames as though it was air that greeted him.
Sarsen’s smile froze, and the atmosphere became awkward and tense immediately.
“I say, Mason, could I discuss some things with you?” Kayla tried to ease the situation by changing the topic.
“What’s the matter?” Mason asked in an unfriendly tone as he was upset that Sarsen did not acknowledge him. No matter what, he was still the best performing young mage from Chevan City! It was only after he met these two freakish teammates in Alanna that he got belittled by others… The more Mason thought about it, the more indignant he felt.
God dammit, I have even met Master Andoine in real life before… How could this fella look down on me?
“The thing is…” Kayla paused, and led Mason out of the tense atmosphere that was not suitable for discussion. At the entrance of the cave, he continued slowly, “I hope to borrow the cave for two days.”
“Lend it to you for two days?” Mason repeated his question in surprise.
“You see… I have so many people with me, and the cave is not that big. If we were to live together, it would be very uncomfortable. Furthermore, since the mission is going to end soon, could y’all just move out of the cave for us…”
“Kayla, what are you saying?” Mason asked suspiciously as he felt that something was amiss.
“Mason, let me explain…” Kayla stood a little further from Mason, and continued, “Look, Mason, we grew up together. And since Mage Felic and Mason Orrin are your friends, they are naturally my friends too. I would not make you move out, but…”
“But what?”
“But the rest of them, they have neither abilities, nor a close relationship with you. Couldn’t you do something about it?”
Mason glanced at Kayla, and asked, “You are referring to Larry and his teammates?” He did not know how to describe his feelings. The man standing before him, with whom he played together since they were young, became like a stranger to him instantly.
“Y-yes, yes. I’m talking about those guys. You are not close to them, right? Wouldn’t it be easy for you to tell them to move out?”
Although Mason had not given him a clear answer, Kayla was not anxious at all. He just continued to persuade him with patience. “You saw that Sarsen from Nightfall City just now? He’s a level-13 Magic Shooter. If we get close to him, how would we still need to worry about our mission?
“Furthermore, we are only telling them to move to the mouth of the cave—what’s the big deal about it since there’s only one last day to the end of the mission? As an exchange, we get to help them to complete the mission as well! Mason, don’t be in a hurry to reject me now. Go and have a discussion with them to see if they are fine with the terms.”
“Wait for me…”
Mason turned to enter the cave and whispered to Lin Li with a low voice.
After all the interaction with Lin Li, Mason had already treated him as the sole decision-maker of their team. In fact, he could only look for Lin Li, for Orrin’s would only insult him with a “moron”.
“Oh, alright.”
After listening to Mason, he only nodded his head, and said nothing else.
Kayla was waiting outside the cave while Mason waited for Lin Li to make his decision. At that point in time, the cave was extremely silent. Apart from the sound of the crackling flames, nothing could be heard at all.
“Mage Kayla, you might want to come in for a while.”
The silence was broken by Lin Li after some time.
“Hehe, what’s the matter, Mage Felic?” Kayla entered the cave confidently. Although the way he made his request just then seemed very casual, it was indeed carefully considered. He was confident that no one would turn it down.
Everything was so obvious. Firstly, since he knew Mason from a young age, their relationship with each other would not be as superficial as that with Larry, whom they had only met for a few days. By making this comparison, anyone would know how to make the choice. Next, he had already told them Sarsen’s background. Since Sarsen was a level-13 Magic Shooter, how would anyone be able to find any ally more powerful than him other than the magical genius Gryffindor?
Even if they had Orrin, who came from Rotterdam, who would not wish to have a stronger ally in this land where the undead roamed freely?
That is a true-blue level-13 Magic Shooter… A fool would also know whom to choose, right?
To Kayla, not to mention Mason and his friends that would stand to benefit from Sarsen, if Larry’s team were to be asked to move out of the cave, they would also be extremely willing to invite Sarsen in.
“Nothing much.” Lin Li smiled before standing up from the side of the campfire. “I wanted to ask: when are you intending to leave this cave?”
“…”
Right after Lin Li ended his speech, Kayla was not the only one that was shocked. Even Sarsen gave him a second look. Never would he have expected that a level-seven mage actually opened his mouth to ask him to leave when Orrin had not even said a word…
