Chapter 304: Prome’s Gift
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
After seeing Vice off, Angor returned to the guest hall and saw Nausica, Sailum, and Dave chatting happily. When they saw Angor coming back, Sailum was giving him inconspicuous grins. Even Nausica, who usually remained composed, was snickering.
Angor approached and heard Dave telling his friends about the glorious deeds of “Baron Milk”.
“Hey, Angor, why did you pick such a title?”
“Not your business.”
“What’s Saka to do with you, Angor?”
“He’s my enemy.”
“Why did you kill Parasite Queen, Angor?”
“She deserved it!”
Dave was quite smooth and slick when speaking to Nausica and Sailum for the first time. However, he did so by telling them Angor’s embarrassing stories, and Angor really did not like it.
Before leaving, Sailum whispered to Angor, “You should’ve introduced such an interesting friend to us sooner!”
Nausica followed behind Sailum and put a hand on Angor’s shoulder. “That was quite a mess you made in the town. Gods. I hope we can grow strong sooner, so we’ve what it takes to back you up.”
Angor saw his friends off and realized that despite Sailum’s joyful mood, the boy was depressed deep inside.
He totally understood, and he could not do anything about it. The path of wizardry waited for no one. The first and last chance to stop and rest would be their final.
Angor returned to the hall and saw Dave still grinning at him.
Prome joined them. “Did you reach an agreement with Vice?”
Angor nodded. “I did. I think I know why Vice is addressed as one of the best geniuses. I don’t know his true strength yet, but at least his flexible mind and refined disposition are something I would never be able to learn. He’s a born wizard who knows how to perceive people’s intentions.”
Prome agreed. “I knew he would notice our trick.”
“And you still joined me by going with it?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m telling him the truth, that creating such a weapon is extremely hard, and I think he understood it. We put up that show so he may present his best credit to us.” Prome grinned as he said, “A resourceful man as him quite enjoys manipulating the situation he’s in. We acted smartly to show him respect.
“Anyway, as long as you get what you wanted, you shouldn’t worry too much.”
Angor glanced at Prome and silently exclaimed that he should never underestimate any single individual he came across. Prome knew they would be found out from the start, while Vice only pointed it out when they were talking in private… Angor just realized he was the only “honest one” in the whole matter.
Out of courtesy, Prome did not ask Angor about the special material.
Angor sat back on his sofa and placed the silver revolver on the table.
Prome failed to hide his excitement upon witnessing the gun. “This-this is-”
“A revolver enchanted with Prelude to Elimination.”
…
Angor yawned when he was alone again in his house. He had been awake for the past 30 hours, and he really needed some rest now.
In his bedroom, he found Toby sitting on his tiny bed pecking playfully at a small object.
The bird had mostly recovered, but he slept most of the time these days due to blood loss, and for the first time since they returned, Angor saw him in such an energetic mood.
Angor approached and was going to pat Toby’s feather when he saw the bird playing with a space capsule.
When he asked, Toby moved a wing slowly and told him that Prome left it here.
Angor stretched his spirit feelers and found a number of books inside the capsule.
He broke the capsule open and revealed the books, which were mostly about synthesis. He had the same books saved in his hologram tablet. However… the practical cases and Prome’s personal annotations were most valuable.
Angor picked up a coverless book from the bottom of the pile and was immediately shocked by its title.
Prome’s Alchemy Notebook
It was the most precious personal experience collection of an alchemist. Angor had one of his own, about which he started writing since his first alchemy creation.
And Prome gifted him something so valuable?
He quickly turned the pages and read the texts which appeared inexperienced and inept at first, but slowly grew defter and defter. He felt that he had gone through the same learning progress when looking at Prome’s own road of pursuing alchemy knowledge.
He saw Prome’s message to him on the last page:
[Thank you greatly for your help, Angor. I do not think you’ll accept my magic crystals, so I’ll simply give you these worthless books of mine as a reward. —Best wishes. I’ll keep watching your unstoppable advance from the foot of the mountain of alchemy.]
“Worthless?” Angor shook his head. The books were priceless treasures to him.
Prome was right. He would probably return any magic crystal payment. He planned to use the revolver to return Prome’s favor for saving his life. Now, however…
He might have repaid the favor. Yet their friendship only deepened.
And maybe this was exactly what Prome hoped for.
“Heh, old fox.” Angor sighed and threw himself on his bed. “Now there’s no way I can refuse his gift.”
He slept until the next morning.
It was the latter half of the Month of Soothing Wind, and 11 days to go before Month of Harvest (August). There were a little less than 2,000 magic crystals saved on his card. Suppose he could give Vice the weapon in two days… he still had a lot to make up for his 100,000-crystal debt.
However, he was not too worried about this. If assuming the worst, he could simply sell his Section Ephemera which was enough to get him the money.