Dox also left the Earth Cavern.
He previously stayed just to inform Angel that he would follow along as well. Since Angel had no objections, he should also go back to make some preparations. Exploring potentially dangerous ruins requires thorough preparation.
Once Dox left, Angel quietly resumed studying the Alchemy Blueprint.
Half a day passed by stealthily.
When Angel raised his head from his desk, night had already fallen.
Kaier still hadn’t returned, presumably because collecting those materials wasn’t easy, especially for demonic materials like the Nightmare Light Crystal, which are rarely found in ordinary Wizard Markets. If nothing else, Kaier should be in Mesomyia; only in such a large Extraordinary City can one possibly find such demonic materials.
Since Kaier hadn’t returned and he couldn’t start alchemy, Angel decided to make a trip to the Wilderness of Dreams.
The purpose of this visit to the Wilderness of Dreams was clear: to seek support.
Esos’s task clearly had pitfalls, and it wasn’t proper for him to directly confront Esos. Thus, he could only find a third party to discuss it, and this third party must at least be of the same level as Esos.
Therefore, Angel’s choices were clear and listed in order: Lord Reine, Tree Spirit, Ironclad Granny, and Sanders.
Only these four could help him seek justice, or at least get some compensation.
Upon stepping onto the Dream Bridge, Angel had already used the Ability Tree in the Mind Space to locate these individuals.
Unfortunately, the best choices, Lord Reine and Tree Spirit, were absent. Sanders was likely busy with matters in the Tidal World as he hadn’t been online for a while. Only Ironclad Granny was leisurely chatting and having tea with Nami Midori.
Without hesitation, Angel opened the Gate of Dreams, appearing directly outside the door of the Rosewater Pavilion.
He adjusted his expression to look furious, yet somewhat aggrieved and resentful, with a hint of exhaustion. Once he confirmed his expression was accurate, he pushed open the door and walked in.
Ironclad Granny cheerfully greeted Angel as he entered, seemingly unbothered by his deliberately displayed emotions, which she noticed but chose to ignore.
Conversely, Nami Midori, upon seeing Angel, showed a hint of emotion in her golden eyes: "Did something happen over there with you?"
Angel initially thought Ironclad Granny would inquire first, but she just smiled in silence, whereas Nami Midori seemed concerned.
Though surprised, in hindsight, it made sense. Angel’s emotions were too deliberately displayed. Ironclad Granny knew that even if she didn’t ask, Angel would speak his mind eventually. However, Nami Midori, being out of touch with the outside world for some time, didn’t immediately realize his emotions were feigned.
Luckily, Nami Midori provided the opportunity, allowing Angel to sit down and bitterly complain.
Initially, his emotions were feigned, but as he continued, Angel genuinely grew more agitated. The anger, helplessness, and grievance stemmed from the heart.
With heartfelt emotions now in play, Angel no longer minded whether Ironclad Granny would be moved. However, while narrating, he realized a truth: once emotions arise, it’s more genuine to vent them early; if delayed, his tendency is to repress them, making it hard to later unearth and express them sincerely, unless Esos tricks him again.
After listening to Angel, Nami Midori and Ironclad Granny’s expressions were noticeably calmer.
Nami Midori’s initial worry stemmed from not knowing whether Angel’s issues endangered his life. After hearing everything, given her experience, it was clear what Angel’s concerns were.
He felt tricked, quite wronged, and lacked the nerve to confront Esos, hence seeking support.
If in the Barbarian Cave, Nami Midori could assist Angel, but being in the Tidal World, she opted to stay quiet, observing from the sideline.
Now, all eyes turned to Ironclad Granny.
Ironclad Granny set down her teacup and finally spoke, but focused on another matter instead of Angel’s plea: "After deciphering that Alchemy Blueprint, are you planning to follow Kaier on the exploration?"
Angel nodded, not hiding this detail during his earlier complaints: "Besides Kaier, Red Sword Docks also plans to join."
Ironclad Granny curiously asked: "Since when did you become so interested in exploring ruins?"
"I have no interest in ruins exploration, but I know something about the location linked to this dagger, implying it’s anything but ordinary. I must see it for myself." With Nami Midori present, Angel couldn’t discuss the Nightmare Abyss City topic, but he strongly conveyed his intention to go.
Seeing Angel’s determined expression, Ironclad Granny didn’t probe further. Angel had to go, so there must be a compelling reason.
Angel: "I just worry that exploring this ruin might delay my return to the Tidal World by a few days."
"You don’t need to worry about that. Something unexpected occurred on your side, just as an unexpected event happened on Lord Reine’s end as well. Our originally scheduled time to visit the Tidal World will also be delayed." Ironclad Granny said, lowering her gaze and sipping her tea.
"Something happened with the Barbarian Cave?" Angel asked in surprise.
"It’s a minor matter. We discovered a few spies trying to infiltrate the Barbarian Cave, and we’re now trying to find and penetrate their base."
"Spies? Is it related to the Wilderness of Dreams?" Angel asked.
Ironclad Granny shook her head: "No, they’re unaware of the Wilderness of Dreams. They’re seeking something else. As for what it is... I’d need to start from the beginning. If you’re interested in the frictions between Witcher Organizations, I could spend a day or two explaining."
Angel quickly waved his hands: "No need to trouble Granny with that. I’m still waiting for Kaier’s return to start on alchemy. Once I have time, I’ll definitely seek your guidance."
Ironclad Granny nodded indifferently: "As you wish, whenever you’re curious, just come find me."
Angel sighed in relief, genuinely fearing Granny might start an endless lecture, which he couldn’t afford to ignore.
"Since Lord Reine also has unexpected events, exploring the ruins shouldn’t affect our schedule." Angel sighed once more: "The Alchemy Blueprint belongs to Kaier, so logically, he should lead the exploration. But this time, he entrusted me with it, mainly because he felt sorry for the high-order potions I consumed and even offered all potential gains from the ruin to me."
Angel shook his head: "However, whether there are gains is uncertain; it’s just a blank cheque. I’m truly pitiful."
After his words, Angel looked quite forlorn, while his eyes kept darting towards Ironclad Granny, implicitly conveying his plea.
Ironclad Granny chuckled lightly and finally said: "I’m aware of Esos’s task. I’ll inform Tree Spirit to reconnect with Esos."
"Also, there might be a misunderstanding in this."
Angel: "A misunderstanding? What kind?"
Ironclad Granny: "Based on what you said, many puzzles were hidden beneath the blueprint. Esos didn’t attempt to decode it, so he didn’t realize the difficulty. Perhaps, in his view, despite being complex, it shouldn’t be exceedingly challenging. Yet, unexpectedly, cracking the blueprint was far tougher than the final alchemy task."
Angel: "There may be a misunderstanding, but that blueprint is indeed peculiar. I’m sure that in the entire Southern Domain there might be no one else capable of deciphering it. Even for me, it consumed unprecedented heart power and numerous potions to crack. The total cost of these potions even exceeded the price of refining that dagger."
Perhaps others in the Southern Domain could decode it, but Angel doubted anyone could withstand the increasingly powerful spiritual power assaults embedded within the blueprint until completion.