Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 1361: Section 1362: Performing for Money

A gentle breeze wafted by, thin mist swirling around the streets.

Accompanied by melodious music, a sense of tranquil comfort arose in the hearts of those passing through Manshi Magic Material Street.

Angel, like everyone else, quietly gazed at the man playing the saxophone by the fountain.

He was a young man dressed in a black tailcoat, his hair slightly long and curly, gently swaying to the rhythm of the music as he played.

The young man was immersed in his performance, seemingly blocking out all outside distractions, leaving only himself and his world of music.

The rhythm of the notes became increasingly free and unrestrained. It was as if the aura of the performer was itself an embodiment of carefree elegance.

“He must have been an outstanding musician before,” Lyon murmured softly. Although he had no talent for playing music, as a noble with a title, his appreciation for music was actually no less than Angel’s.

Lyon’s lament went unanswered by Angel and Nausicaa.

Nausicaa smiled without a word, for she knew the true identity of the man performing the music; he was neither a musician nor even a human being.

Angel’s lack of response was due to his attention being drawn away by something else.

Just as the young man brought the music to a climax, Angel felt a stir in his chest. His attention was instantly diverted from the music, focusing entirely on his chest because—

Toby was quietly slumbering inside his breast pocket.

Angel observed Toby carefully, but to his dismay, Toby remained still thereafter. If not for Angel’s extraordinary sensory memory, he might have even thought the previous movement was just an illusion.

Toby had indeed moved slightly, but was it because of the music, or was it something else?

As Angel pondered in his mind, the music stopped.

Even the most beautiful music must end, and this ten-minute performance left all the listeners thoroughly delighted.

Undoubtedly, the young man’s talent was recognized by everyone, including Lyon, who even felt tempted to step forward and befriend the saxophone player.

Just when Lyon could barely contain his admiration, he suddenly noticed that the previously attentive audience had dispersed. Moreover, they all hurried away from the young man as if terrified of associating with him.

Lyon was puzzled; wasn’t this the time to approach and applaud the young man’s performance? Why had everyone run off?

The next second, Lyon got his answer.

The previously carefree-looking musician slowly took out a bowl from behind and, with a smile, placed it in front of a person nearby.

The meaning was clear; he was unmistakably begging for money.

The person looked regretful, as if upset for not having left earlier.

While the young man kept shaking the bowl, the spectator sighed and took out a small piece of a broken Magic Crystal to put in the bowl.

Then, without hesitation, he turned and left quickly.

“Is this… street performance art?” Lyon watched dumbfounded. Could it be that such a grand musician had been reduced to a street performer in the Transcendent world? Moreover, he acted as if it were a given?

After the youth received a small Magic Crystal, he grinned and looked for the next target. However, when he turned around, he realized there was nobody left around him.

Centered around the fountain where he stood, within a ten-meter radius, there was not a soul.

“Hey, hey, is that necessary, running off like that?” the young man frowned and muttered: “If I weren’t participating in the New Star Competition, who would go out and swindle… cough cough, play music, huh?”

His words made the shopkeepers around shake their heads.

A few days earlier, some had learned that he would take part in the New Star Competition and thought it would be alright to support a promising Talented One, giving him some funds. However, after carefully checking the New Star Competition, they found that the guy hadn’t set foot on stage at all.

Obviously, his talk of participating in the New Star Competition was just a sugar-coated excuse for his begging.

To those who gave, the sugar coating wasn’t sugar; it was excrement.

The young man sighed on the spot for a long while, unable to find anyone else to ask for money, and with a look of sadness packed up his saxophone, murmuring, “Looks like I’ll have to find a new spot next time.”

Seeing the dejected figure of the young man, the others couldn’t help but feel a sense of schadenfreude. This guy had been scamming them with his saxophone for a while now, amassing quite a number of Magic Crystals. They were envious. This time, no one was fooled, and watching the young man’s forlorn figure, they couldn’t express enough delight.

While the onlookers were delighting in their secret amusement, a somewhat disheveled middle-aged man suddenly approached the young man.

The young man was taken aback, joy flashing in his eyes as he brought out the bowl he had just packed away, displaying a rascal’s demeanor.

Witnessing this scene, someone couldn’t help but call out, “Hey, you better leave; this guy’s just scamming.”

However, the middle-aged man ignored them, looking at the swaying bowl and slowly extending his hand.

A shimmering, clear Magic Crystal emerged from his palm and fell into the bowl, producing a crisp sound.

“A complete Magic Crystal?” Those around shook their heads. Even if one was wealthy, it seemed wasteful to throw money away like that.

However, what astonished them even more was yet to come.

The clinking and clanking sounds kept coming from the bowl, like beautiful scales, harmoniously symphonizing at this moment.

One, two… ten…

All at once, at least twenty Magic Crystals fell into the bowl.

The bowl, which had never been filled before, was not only full today but also had a peak piling up.

In the sunlight, the Magic Crystals’ faceted edges shimmered with colorful rainbow light.

This made the onlooking crowd instantly envious. The earlier pleasure they found in the young man’s poor appearance had vanished, leaving only thick jealousy.

Not just strangers, even the young man himself was somewhat surprised.

“This, it seems you’ve given a bit too…”

The young man stopped mid-sentence, forcibly swallowing back the last word “much.” Encountering such a generous patron was rare; he couldn’t just let this opportunity go.

“These are thirty Magic Crystals. If you play another piece, just like the one before, I will give you another thirty Magic Crystals,” the middle-aged man, Angel, said slowly as he looked at the man before him who seemed somewhat familiar.

The young man swallowed his saliva. Just by playing another tune, he could double the amount?

As a principled Book Spirit, his rule was to set up shop every three days and play only one tune each time. This way, he wouldn’t attract the attention of the Enforcement Squad.

“My rule is to play only one tune,” the young man paused, then added, “However, since I have found an appreciator of my music, I suppose playing one more piece wouldn’t hurt.”

What are principles? Can you eat them?

What are rules? Aren’t they listed just for people to break?

The young man instantly knelt before the allure of the Magic Crystals, picked up the saxophone again, and amidst the envious looks of the bystanders, he transformed from a deadbeat begging for money to an elegant artist.

The music soared eloquently.

Angel seemed to be listening, but all his attention was focused inside his breast pocket.

Meanwhile, hundreds of meters away in a dark alley on Manshi Magic Material Street, a young-looking person, who had been leaning against a mottled wall and reading a magazine under the dim light of a wall-mounted gas lamp, suddenly lifted his head in confusion when he heard the music.

In the light, the youth’s visage was clear—it was Serum, whom Angel and the others had come searching for.

“Huh, why is Black Classic playing again?” Serum furrowed his brow. Although he had been engrossed in the magazine, a part of his thoughts remained outside. Black Classic had played a tune not long ago, and now this was the second time.

Black Classic was a very principled Book Spirit; why would he break his own rules?

Could it be that Black Classic had encountered something?

Serum suddenly became worried. At first, when Black Classic said he would go out to ‘perform,’ Serum had objected, fearing that it would infuriate the Enforcement Squad. Being punished for vending without a license was frightening. However, Black Classic had assured him that he would handle it well, and Serum had agreed to it.

Black Classic had not made a mistake in the successive street performances, and they had not attracted the Enforcement Squad. Only then had Serum been relieved.

But now, Black Classic had broken his usual rule, and there must be an extraordinary reason.

Serum grew worried and, after mulling over it repeatedly, he put away the magazine of “Glowing City Night Talk,” which he had read over and over, and then walked quickly out of the alley toward the source of the music.

When Serum arrived near the fountain, he spotted from a distance that Black Classic was standing before a middle-aged man.

Serum still wondered who this individual was and whether he might be the reason for Black Classic’s second performance. Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

…

Once the tune ended, disappointment filled Angel’s eyes.

Angel had thought music would evoke a reaction from Toby; after all, aside from pretty clothes, Toby’s greatest love was music.

Yet, as the same piece came to a close, it didn’t arouse any response from Toby.

Perhaps, before it was truly just a coincidence.

Angel handed over the promised Magic Crystals to the young man. The sight made the surrounding people’s eyes turn green with envy yet again. Although those visiting Manshi Magic Material Street generally had some savings, Magic Crystals weren’t simply blown in by the wind. To hand out sixty Magic Crystals to a stranger was more than they could afford.

After giving the Magic Crystals, as Angel watched the young man swiftly pack up his belongings to leave, he said again, “Play me one more tune, preferably a different style from before, and it’s still thirty Magic Crystals.”

The young man faltered in his movements and looked at Angel in astonishment.

The others gave him an “are you crazy” look, and one of them even hurried to retrieve an item from his Alchemy shop, speaking to Angel, “I have the latest version of the Phantom Sound Box here. Although it’s not crafted by that famous music box artificer, it contains Angel’s own ‘Castle in the Sky’ and the ‘Alice’ that appeared only briefly at the ancient auction.”

“Don’t bother asking him to play for you, come to my store, and I’ll play them one by one for you. I don’t want thirty Magic Crystals either, ten for each song will do.”