Chapter 71 – The Arrival of Lotalan

Lotalan had now transformed from a little girl who “fled as a refugee” to Doleiz City seeking opportunities into a highly influential figure in Doleiz City. Even many core Nobles of Doleiz City had to treat her with extra courtesy. Part of this identity shift was due to her control over the largest alchemical potion trade in all of Doleiz City, but more importantly, it was because she had the support of a genuine official mage behind her.

Without a backing powerful enough to make these Nobles despair, a powerless little girl like Lotalan would have long been devoured completely—both her and her goods—by those Nobles who would stop at nothing.

Now, Lotalan, who was making waves in Doleiz City’s upper society, stood discontentedly before Punk’s White Tower. A carriage loaded with several chests of Gold Coins was parked at the foot of the hill, containing seventy percent of the Gold Coins Lotalan had painstakingly earned. The thought that most of the Gold Coins she had worked so hard to earn through constant toil would be handed over to this “idle” young mage in the White Tower made Lotalan grit her teeth in frustration. Although the Old Butler had reminded her to understand the “cooperative” relationship between Punk and the Minohorn Family, the rebellious Lotalan still found it difficult to put on a “ladylike” smile to face Punk.

However, when Punk controlled the White Tower’s door to open for Lotalan, all her discontent and indignation turned into a deep shudder. The overwhelming smell of blood and the aura of evil, as if the entire White Tower had been soaked in it, forced Lotalan—who had been about to complain loudly—to retreat several steps. All her “tsundere declarations” were choked back into her stomach!

What had this mage done? Such a terrifying, nearly tangible bloody aura couldn’t possibly come from killing a few animals! Even the legendary battlefields where tens of thousands fought to the death might not be this intense!

Steadying herself and suppressing the urge to turn and flee immediately, Lotalan kept telling herself inwardly:

“I am the Countess of the Minohorn Family! How could I be scared by a little… bloodshed”!

Whispering “Excuse me,” Lotalan cautiously entered the White Tower.

Soon, the “brave” little Lotalan—Countess of the Minohorn Family—was once again frightened by the scene inside the White Tower. There was no helping it; she was, after all, only a fifteen-year-old child. This horrifying sight completely exceeded the tolerance limit of a greenhouse flower.

The floor and walls of the White Tower were covered in chaotic, intertwining patterns of black and red. Upon closer look, these patterns were constantly squirming, as if faint howls and roars were emerging from them.

Inside the White Tower’s hall, many rock cages were neatly arranged with at least half a meter between each one. The creatures inside the cages… had bluish-red skin, crazy blood-red eyes, bone-spiked carapaces, and a constant madness of gnawing on stone pillars—even themselves! Even with Lotalan’s knowledge, she could recognize them: they were a group of demons!Although unsure of what type of demon it was, the nearly tangible aura of evil and madness still terrified Lotalan into a scream. With widened eyes, she could hardly believe that this mage had somehow obtained a group of demons. Weren’t such vile creatures only manipulated by the most wicked witches in stories?

However, Lotalan soon spotted Punk sitting at a small table. Still clad in his light cyan Mage Robe, he sat there composedly, as if the surrounding bloodshed and chaos couldn’t disturb him in the slightest.

Lotalan didn’t dare keep Punk waiting too long, nor did she want to appear “easily startled” in front of him. As the Countess of the Minohorn Family, she must maintain her dignity even when facing a mysterious and aloof mage. Moreover… she simply couldn’t let him look down on her.

Forcing calmness, she approached Punk, enduring the piercing shrieks of the Vrock in its cage and the overwhelming stench of blood in the air. Her expression suggested she truly regarded the gore and demons as nothing, but she remained completely unaware that her trembling legs betrayed her true feelings.

Punk sat by the table, unsurprised that such a scene would frighten Lotalan. The Abyssal corruption in the hall hadn’t been cleansed yet, so it was perfectly normal for ordinary people to be affected. In fact, Lotalan’s ability to compose herself—at least not collapsing on the spot—made Punk acknowledge her growth.

Though to Punk, whether Lotalan grew or not mattered little.

The main reason Punk hadn’t cleansed the Abyssal pollution was to study the connection between demons and their chaotic nature. But now, it seemed he hadn’t figured out any connections, instead solidifying his image as a wicked mage.

Eager to resume his research, Punk impatiently listened to Lotalan’s disjointed report. He outright ignored her childish expression that seemed to say “praise me,” simply placing a crate of Alchemical Potions hastily brewed in the past two days and a list of required items at her feet.

“You have at most one month to gather all the ‘materials.’ It’s best to send two mage apprentices along with twenty healthy, sane slaves to the White Tower in three weeks.”

With that, Punk paid no heed to Lotalan’s astonished expression. He stood up and once again approached the Experiment Table, where a “fresh” Vrock lay eviscerated, continuously twitching and howling. The entire White Tower was shrouded in an eerie, sinister atmosphere.

“Um… are you buying slaves to… to conduct experiments?”

Lotalan glanced at the Experiment Table before quickly pulling her head back, too afraid to look again. Struggling against nausea, her voice distorted as she asked the question. Though speaking to Punk, her mind was filled with the neatly arranged… demon entrails on the table, many of which were still faintly writhing. The mere thought made her stomach churn.

“Do you think that’s any of your business?”The sound of a knife cutting through flesh abruptly ceased. Punk, holding a frantically twitching eyeball between his fingers, slowly turned his head and cast a sidelong glance at the trembling Lotalan.

Lotalan was nearly petrified by the profound, abyssal gaze in Punk’s pale blue eyes. For the first time, she felt an overwhelming urge to flee a place immediately. Cold sweat instantly soaked her light clothing, revealing her graceful curves without concealment.

In the end, she managed to cling to reason and answered loudly, though her voice trembled with fear:

“S-sorry”!

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Even seated in the carriage on her way back to the city, Lotalan still felt a persistent discomfort in her stomach. She could hardly fathom what kind of terrifying mage Punk was, to be able to… dissect a living creature without so much as a change in expression—even if it was an evil demon.

The paper in her hand was crumpled from her grip, listing the items Punk demanded she prepare within three weeks. Prominently included were a large number of “experimental” slaves—things only an evil mage would require. Recalling how everyone in Doleiz City, from ordinary nobles to low-level professionals, trembled at the mere mention of the “Evil Archmage” residing in an obscure town, Lotalan had once thought them cowardly. But now…

Gazing at the sunset outside the window, Lotalan gently bit her pale lower lip. She felt she understood their fear now. The enigmatic Punk frightened her to her core. Just the memory of his eerie, all-seeing gaze made her forehead break out in cold sweat. Yet, deep in the young woman’s heart, an indescribable feeling prevented her from viewing Punk as a terrifying mage to be avoided at all costs. Instead… it made her want to draw closer to this mysterious being who instilled such fear in her.

“Ah, forget it, forget it! I don’t want to end up on a dissection table one day!”

Lotalan screamed inwardly, shoving these thoughts and faint emotions into a hidden corner of her mind. She still had plenty to do for the task Punk had assigned her!

(End of Chapter)