Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2480: Chapter 2481: Dinner for Two

The Observer had just jumped into the portal and hadn’t had the chance to experience its environment when he found himself in another room.

It appeared to be a luxurious noble hall.

Unlike the halls in other noble castles, the Observer saw some peculiar objects here. Such as the teacup floating in mid-air, which had tiny ceramic hands holding a spoon, striking its own body with clear clinks, accompanied by another floating squad of strange musical instruments beside it.

A teacup bunny blowing a trumpet, a black-and-white cup playing piano, and a goblet playing violin...

The complete Teacup Band.

That wasn’t the most bizarre sight. Above the hall floated several iridescent dragonflies and some strange luminous points—though they seemed glamorous, they inexplicably gave the Observer a sense of danger.

As the Observer stood dazed, the Teacup Band began playing cheerful music.

Along with the music, neat tapping sounds came from the curtain on one side.

The Observer looked towards the sound and saw the curtain pulled open at a small corner, revealing two squads of blocks soldiers no taller than a palm. They walked out in synchronized, orderly steps.

The blocks soldiers were all dressed in red uniforms and white trousers, topped with high hats. Their cheeks were painted with two red dots, looking quite comical.

But the Observer didn’t find it amusing at all, because both groups of blocks soldiers held various weapons. Bayonets, spears, muskets, rapiers... these weapons, much like the points above, caused the Observer to feel immense danger.

If these weapons could make him feel threatened, it should mean they were potent enough to harm him. Being a Legendary Wizard himself, for anything to harm him, these weapons must at least be high-order alchemy tools, extremely valuable in the outside world.

Yet here, they were distributed to blocks soldiers.

The Observer choked back his saliva, uncertain whether it was out of fear or envy. He watched the two teams of blocks soldiers approach him.

Tap, tap!

The blocks soldiers ended their march ritualistically before the Observer, then they separated into two sides, using their stiff wooden hands to simultaneously gesture a welcome and pointed towards the direction of the red curtain.

”Does this mean to go that way?” the Observer questioned.

No one answered.

Reflecting on his situation, the Observer considered that he was already inside the Dalmatian’s belly, ready to be slaughtered at any moment, at least better off than Gluz Deward and others. The comparison somehow reduced his fear.

With no room to retreat, he moved forward, onward!

The Observer resolutely stepped forward.

As he took the first step, the Teacup Band played a welcoming melody, indicating he was not wrong.

The blocks soldiers came to open the way, the Teacup Band to create an ambiance.

Coupled with the atmosphere of the noble hall, the Observer felt the sensation of being invited by ”some noble lord” to attend a banquet.

Soon, the Observer reached the red drapery.

He had an inexplicable premonition that perhaps behind the red drapery lay the master of this space.

Pausing for two seconds, the Observer took a deep breath and reached out to lift the drapery. As the drapery was lifted, the music of the Teacup Band ceased.

The Observer’s gaze gradually lifted to see the scene behind the drapery.

A magnificent long table, exquisite porcelain plates, and bright candlelight.

The table had seating occupied.

The prime seat at the head of the table... was unoccupied, but lazily lying on it was a Dalmatian indicating its title as dignitary of the prime seat.

The seats on either side were occupied; to the right sat a plump Void Traveler, resembling a large puddle of soft jelly, filling the not-so-large chair completely.

To the left sat the familiar face of Angel.

Angel, dressed as before, sat properly in the chair. Hearing the sound of the curtain being drawn, he turned his head to look at the Observer.

Observer: What’s going on here?

Angel: Oh, it’s a long story.

After exchanging a glance, Angel gave him a gentle nod, signaling him to take a seat first.

The Observer understood; having reached this point, he had to sit down. There was no escaping it, so he proceeded without hesitation.

The long table had many vacant seats, yet the Observer didn’t hesitate and sat directly beside Angel.

After all, Angel was someone he knew well.

Upon sitting down, a beautiful porcelain plate floated automatically to the Observer, extending a hand to take bread and a knife from the center of the table, cutting the bread into slices and placing them on the plate. It then poured cream and chive sauce over the bread.

After completing all this, the plate suddenly spoke, in a muffled voice: ”Use the fork gently; don’t scratch my skin. Also, don’t lick the plate after eating the bread. I hate being licked by men.”

The Observer stared dazedly at the plate and instinctively replied, ”Oh.”

”Oh? No manners at all; I dislike crude men even more.”

A flash of embarrassment crossed the Observer’s face: ”I meant, thank you.”

”At least you know to make amends... You’re welcome, it’s my job. Please enjoy, don’t forget the rules I’ve mentioned.”

The Observer hurriedly nodded: ”Okay.”

The plate returned to normal, but the Observer felt a bit abnormal, having just conversed with a plate? Was this plate a living being? Didn’t these food items rest atop the plate’s body?

”Did I enter a Fairy Tale World?” the Observer couldn’t help but murmur quietly.

”Fairy Tale World? No, this is merely a regular banquet hall,” Angel said, overhearing the Observer’s mumbling.

A regular banquet hall? The Observer gazed at Angel with a strange look. Was it him who was abnormal or Angel, calling this a regular banquet hall?

Angel: ”Your plate might be a bit snobbish. It’s my first time seeing a plate with so many rules; it’s an exception.”

As Angel’s words fell, the porcelain plate before him, in a pleasant female voice, corroborated with Angel: ”Yes, it is an exception. I especially want distinguished guests to lick all over me—it would give me a lot of comfort, and cleaning would be convenient.”

Now, the Observer looked at Angel with an even more bizarre expression.

Angel also felt a bit awkward. His plate was normal before, silent, obediently cutting the bread. How, now, upon speaking, it spoke with such... suggestiveness.

Angel couldn’t help but rub his slightly throbbing temples: Indeed, things released by the Dalmatian, creatures from the Nightmare Realm, aren’t always decent.

This hall originally was just the black room. However, Angel released his Luxury Nightmare Realm to avoid being seen by the Observer on the ”transparent surveillance” floor.

Previously, Angel used the Luxury Nightmare Realm in battles, resulting in many creatures within it perishing. For instance, the Teacup Band, blocks soldiers, only remnants remaining.

Seeing these defeated remnants, the Dalmatian perhaps felt pity or maybe had a plan all along, as it spit out a brand new Teacup Band and some toy soldiers from its mouth.

Besides that, it provided some living supplies for the Luxury Nightmare Realm, such as these porcelain plates.

Angel didn’t anticipate that these porcelain plates would talk, let alone that they began speaking because the Observer arrived, and they spoke to criticize the Observer.

Watching the Observer looking at him with that strange gaze, Angel felt at a loss for words.

If only he had known beforehand, just setting up a layer of Mist on the ground would have sufficed, why bother with a Luxury Nightmare Realm... Angel thought with a bit of bitterness.

Although he felt complex inside, Angel had to maintain his composure outwardly.

After all, at this table, he was the only one who could talk. The Dalmatian was sleeping sluggishly, and if awake would only bark; Wang Wang didn’t want to expose himself, so everything next depended on Angel himself.

”Observer, I know you have many questions, why not dine first? Then I will explain everything to you one by one.”

The Observer looked at the plates, which had returned to normal. He always felt something was odd as he wanted to claim he was not hungry. But Angel spoke again, making him suspicious of Angel’s identity. Is this Angel the one he knows? Does his speech carry any deep messages? Should he eat?

The Observer hesitated, glanced towards the Void Traveler across, and quickly eyed the curled-up Dalmatian.

”Ahem, they... haven’t eaten. We shouldn’t eat before the host does, should we? Perhaps it’s better not to eat; I’m not hungry either.”

Angel: ”They don’t need human food. Besides, since the Observer is not hungry now, let’s chat instead.”

Originally, Angel was casually eating bread, but now he put down his knife and fork, rinsed his mouth with a cup, and wiped his lips.

”Observer, if you have any questions, feel free to ask now.” After his words, Angel silently added in his heart: as long as I can speak.

The Observer stared closely at Angel’s eyes: ”Are you Angel? The Angel I know?”

In such a bizarre place, Angel seemed overly accommodating, making the Observer feel uneasy.

Angel: ”I am indeed Angel. I understand the meaning behind your question. I... I just know a bit more than you, but at the core, I am just an ordinary person.”

An ordinary person? Which ordinary person would know of the Dalmatian’s existence? The Observer didn’t believe it one bit.

However, Angel’s statement of merely ”knowing a bit more,” hence being accommodating, might be true.

Observer: ”If you are Angel, you should know what I most want to ask now.”

Angel: ”Where is this place? And how do we leave? Is that right?”

The Observer stared straight into Angel’s eyes.

”Let’s start with the whole environment.” Angel pointed at the drowsy Dalmatian: ”We are inside its stomach.”

”We are situated in a space it created. Yes, whether it was the pure white room before or this banquet hall, they were all created by it.”

The Observer caught a detail: ”You know where I was before?”

”Yes, that’s what it informed me.” Angel nodded, pointing towards the Void Traveler opposite.

This time he wasn’t pointing at the Dalmatian, but the Void Traveler? The Observer found this odd but temporarily quelled his curiosity without inquiring directly.

”As for leaving, it requires its permission.” This time, Angel pointed to the Dalmatian.

After saying this, Angel stopped talking and looked towards the Observer: ”Do you have any other questions, sir?”

Of course, you barely said anything at all. The Observer silently roared in his mind but maintained a calm facade: ”Forgive my bluntness, what role do you play in all of this?”

Angel fell silent.

After a long pause, the Observer responded: ”If it’s not convenient to say, you don’t have to answer.”

”It’s not about convenience, but I don’t know how to say it. Because whatever I say might be misunderstood by you.” Angel sighed.

”Why don’t you try saying it?”

”I and them,” Angel gestured to the Dalmatian and the Void Traveler, ”are actually not familiar, and have only met two or three times.”

”It’s named Wang Wang, supposedly one of its... subordinates?”

”Because I am the only human Wang Wang has met, and I once owed it a favor, to repay it, I appeared here as its messenger.”

After saying this, Angel looked sincerely at the Observer: ”Do you believe what I say, sir?”

The Observer smiled silently, inwardly saying: I don’t believe you.

Angel sighed, self-deprecatingly: ”See, I knew you wouldn’t believe me, no matter how I explain it, it would be misunderstood. But what I say is indeed true, though some aspects I can’t disclose directly.”

Observer: ”You say you are the messenger, what does that mean?”

Deciding to sidestep the trust issue, the Observer directly questioned the essence.

”It’s the literal meaning, Wang Wang has something it needs someone to convey. And I, unfortunately, was selected as the messenger.” Since this was Angel’s own Luxury Nightmare Realm and forbidden magic, he lied with ease, not worried about the Observer seeing through his facade.

”What messages does it want to convey? To whom, me?”

Angel: ”Yes.”

Angel: ”I mentioned earlier that I know about the pure white room because Wang Wang told me. Wang Wang has been monitoring everything that happens in the pure white room, and the Observer being let out was also Wang Wang’s decision.”

The Observer didn’t speak, though he harbored discreet doubts. Angel’s narrative suggested that everything was directed by Wang Wang, yet what role does that... Dalmatian play here?

Previously, he always thought it was the Dalmatian monitoring the pure white room’s happenings, but Angel claimed it was Wang Wang, causing a subtle dissonance.

”Wang Wang released the Observer because it wishes to form a collaboration with you.”

When Angel said this, the Observer largely understood the situation. He was released only because he presented utility.

Simply put, he was being threatened.

According to his usual temperament, the Observer would have thrown a fit by now, but currently, he couldn’t, nor dared show his inner emotions.

With the Dalmatian, the Great Demon King, presiding over things!

He dared not make a move.

The Dalmatian is at least at the True Body level of Gluz Deward, potentially even... a higher miracle creature.

Facing such a being, any dissatisfaction might be detected, hence accepting gladly despite grievances seemed wiser—after all, life is sweet.

”May I know what the collaboration entails?” the Observer inquired.