Warlock Apprentice

Estone Store.

Angel stood under the signboard of this shop, followed by Allen and Glenn.

”My sister came to this store. Estone Store? Could there be something fishy about this place?” Allen speculated.

”This is a mortals’ shop, and there are only a few mortals inside,” said Glenn. ”Moreover, your sister just browsed around and then left. Maybe she just came to buy something.”

”My sister isn’t lacking in resources. Why would she come to a mortals’ shop to buy things?” Allen was still incredulous.

”Let’s go in and ask, and we’ll know,” said Angel, as he pushed open the door and entered the modestly sized shop.

From the shop’s signboard, it was still hard to guess what the shop was for. Only after entering did they realize it was a shop dealing in cosmetic stone materials.

The air was filled with the scent of cosmetic stones.

Originally, cosmetic stones carried a dull scent of sand and dirt, but perhaps with the addition of fragrant materials, the scent wasn’t too unpleasant. It was just so intense that it immediately brought to mind the heavily made-up noble ladies at court banquets.

Indeed, cosmetic stones are a type of base material used for ladies’ makeup.

In the lands of mortals, ordinary civilians use very primitive cosmetic stone powder, which not only damages the skin but also doesn’t give a natural color. The specially formulated cosmetic stone powder is extremely expensive, nurtures the skin, and makes the complexion more lustrous. It is a product exclusive to the nobility.

This Estone Store is selling that specially formulated cosmetic stone powder.

The store carries the special features of various countries, such as the ”Tender Soft Gold” exclusive to the royal family of Yirong Country, the ”Sweet Dreamy Mist” from Aly Duchy, the ”Water Sprite” from Wunong Duchy... and so on, even cosmetic stone powder from the Old Earth Continent was seen by Angel.

Obviously, this was a store that catered to ladies, and the entry of Angel and his companions made the customers and clerks inside look over, curious.

However, as soon as they noticed the aura of the newcomers, everyone immediately lowered their heads, not daring to stare.

Mortals and Transcendents both live in the Sky Mechanical City, yet there is an impassable gulf between them. This gulf exists not just in the living areas but is also evident in the usual customs.

Angel and his companions were clearly Transcendents. The shop clerks and customers didn’t dare to size them up, fearing they might offend them.

”So it’s a cosmetic store. Before joining the Wizards’ Realm, my sister did indeed like to fuss with cosmetic stones,” murmured Allen. There are many Witches in the Wizards’ Realm who love beauty, otherwise, there wouldn’t be events like Fragrance Appreciation Conference.

Thus, the Witches certainly have a variety of substances to tinker with for their skin.

Although Allen hadn’t shopped there, he did have some understanding. Cosmetic stones are for mortals; why would Irene still visit a cosmetic stone shop now?

Facing Allen’s doubt, Glenn couldn’t help but say, ”Have you never tried living without Magic Crystals?”

”Do you think all Apprentices can earn money by making delicious food like you? Many Apprentices are spending more than they earn. Every adventure, every learning session, buying materials, crafting Tricks... all require a vast amount of Magic Crystals. Even some Official Wizards often find themselves short on Magic Crystals, let alone Apprentices.”

Glenn’s rant clearly contained his own situation. Despite his good background and having a great Mentor, as well as good relations with the high ranks of the Infinite Battle Tower, this didn’t mean... he had money!

He still needed to work diligently on tasks or gather materials to acquire Magic Crystals.

As soon as Allen entered the Wizards’ Realm, he got into the luxurious Candy House, where he lacked neither Magic Crystals nor resources. Furthermore, Felicia took him in; he didn’t have to worry about materials while at Butterfly Tavern, only needing to cook delicacies to make money.

Glenn sighed internally thinking he was utterly oblivious to the hardships of life!

To Glenn’s knowledge, Irene didn’t possess any special Skills, and considering she had just broken through to the Second Level Apprentice, needing to consolidate her realm, her Magic Crystals would certainly be limited. They wouldn’t even suffice for her cultivation, let alone be spent on makeup.

”So, it’s entirely normal for her to spend Mortals’ coins to browse in a cosmetic stone shop,” Glenn paused. ”Also, among Wizards, there are many collectors. During the recent New Star Contest, there was a woman who loved collecting hats; they care not just for ordinary or transcendent items. So even if your sister had enough Magic Crystals, she might still browse the cosmetic stone store. Maybe she has developed a collecting habit for cosmetic stone powder, right?”

Allen, at a loss for words from the rebuttal, turned to look at Angel: ”Is what Glenn said true?”

Are Magic Crystals really that hard to earn?

”Maybe?” Angel hesitated for a moment, then replied.

Witnessing the conversation between two wealthy individuals, Glenn couldn’t help but cover his chest, feeling somewhat out of breath.

Angel coughed slightly, pulling the conversation back from where it had veered off: ”But that’s not the point. We’re here to look for Irene.”

Allen also came back to his senses, no longer dwelling on ”why Irene would visit a cosmetic stone shop” or ”how hard it is to earn Magic Crystals.” He strode confidently up to the counter and started talking to the clerk.

Or more accurately... interrogating.

Facing the menacing approach of Allen, the two clerks turned pale and trembled as they spoke.

Allen, using his clumsy Illusion Technique, conjured up Irene’s appearance and asked repeatedly. The clerks kept their mouths shut and shook their heads.

”Are you unwilling to speak?” Allen’s face darkened.

The clerk still shook their head.

Angel sighed, stepped forward, and tapped the countertop gently with his knuckles. A wave of peculiar Illusion energy then entered the brow of the clerk.

The clerk, who had been pale-faced before, slowly calmed down under the effect of the Illusion Technique.

”They don’t refuse to speak; you just scared them. Even if they did remember, they’d have been scared into forgetting,” Glenn stepped forward at this point, ”Moreover, they’re just Mortals. Their brains obscure most of their non-essential memories, so it’s normal for them not to remember.”

After hearing this, Allen also seemed to realize that he had been too impatient. He swallowed with difficulty and then began to ask again with a calmer tone.

”Have you seen her?” Irene’s Illusion was once again presented in front of the clerks.

Angel timely used an Illusion Technique as well, stimulating the clerk’s memories.

The two clerks looked at each other, and one of them pondered for a moment: ”I seem... to have a slight impression.”

The other clerk also said, ”Was she the customer who wanted to buy ’Sea Night Dew’?”

”Yes, that’s right! I think it was her, I remember she had a very outstanding appearance and demeanor, looking like she could be an Honorable Wizard.”

The two clerks confirmed each other’s words and quickly reconstructed the situation at that time.

Irene indeed visited the store, seeking to buy a kind of alchemical powder called ’Sea Night Dew’, which is a specially formulated powder from the Fine Maya Islands. The powder has a delicate taste and feels refreshing, like the sea.

However, when Irene visited, they didn’t have ’Sea Night Dew’. Because most alchemical powders sold here are of a richer type, with nine out of ten customers buying the richer variety. ’Sea Night Dew’ was one of the few lighter variants and sold very little. After it sold out a year ago, they never restocked it.

Seeing that there was no Sea Night Dew, Irene did not buy anything else and left.

After the clerk finished speaking, Angel looked at Allen: ”They’re telling the truth.”

The clerks are Mortals, their conversation in front of people like Allen can easily be assessed for the truth. Clearly, they were not lying.

Moreover, Irene buying Sea Night Dew also made sense. Because the place where Sea Night Dew is produced—the Fine Maya Islands—is actually very, very close to the White Coral Floating Island Academy.

Irene might have been using Sea Night Dew these years, and it would be natural for her to look for familiar powder.

Since they weren’t lying, the search for the missing person had reached a deadlock. Irene’s visit to this shop had no special purpose, and from the conversation with the clerks, this store seemed normal.

Irene’s disappearance remains without a clue.

Allan’s face was clouded with frustration. Had they reached a dead end and now only a Prophet Wizard could help?

Just as they were about to leave, one of the clerks suddenly recalled something, ”Oh right, I remembered something, the lady asked us a question when she was leaving.”

”She inquired if there were any other places nearby where she could buy Sea Night Dew.”

Allen asked, ”What was your answer?”

The clerk honestly replied, ”I said that the Sky Mechanical City probably doesn’t sell Sea Night Dew, but Paradow City likely does.”

They left the Estone Store.

Allen stood at the door of the shop, lost in thought: ”Paradow City... Paradow City...”

”Where is Paradow City?” Angel curiously asked Glenn.

Glenn replied with some reverence, ”Paradow City is a city in Yirong Country, close to the North Sea.”

After pausing, Glenn added, ”Come to think of it, during the early part of the Drizzling Rain Moon, Sky Mechanical City just happens to drift near the North Sea, very close to Paradow City.”

As Glenn finished speaking, Allen’s fist slammed into his palm as if he had an epiphany, ”Then there’s no mistake. My sister might have gone to Paradow City!”

Serum saw that Irene had left Sky Mechanical City, and before she left, she had visited this alchemical powder shop.

With the upcoming competition, Irene couldn’t leave Sky Mechanical City for no reason. If she did leave, she must have been somewhere nearby.

Taking into account the last thing the clerk said, Irene might indeed travel to Paradow City to buy Sea Night Dew.

Because at that time, Paradow City was very close to Sky Mechanical City, a round trip in one day was definitely achievable.

All the events were connected, and now Allen was about 70 to 80 percent certain that Irene had gone to Paradow City.

After Allen finished his analysis, Glenn agreed as well: ”Indeed, she might have gone to Paradow City. But as you said, if she went there to purchase alchemical powder, she would definitely have been able to return within a day. Yet, until now, she hasn’t come back. I fear...”

Though Glenn didn’t spell out the specific outcome, how could Allen not understand that with Irene gone for so long, she most likely met with some trouble on the way.

Allan’s face looked somewhat unsightly: ”Perhaps, Irene just got lost.”

Glenn chuckled without exposing the lie which even Allen himself didn’t believe.

”Regardless, I need to go to Paradow City to understand the situation first.”