Angel: "Didn’t we already talk about this?"
Black Earl: "Are you sure you don’t want to change it? Honestly, the deal I discussed with you is more suitable for Dox. Are you certain about this choice?"
Dox, who was suddenly mentioned, looked at Black Earl and then at Angel in confusion, completely unaware of what they were discussing. Had they talked before? When did they discuss this? What deal is more suitable for me?
Dox wanted to ask, but Black Earl dismissed him with "You’ve chosen to leave the conversation."
Meaning, since you’ve chosen to leave the conversation, don’t butt in now.
Leaving the conversation demands stability. But if Dox realizes while listening that staying would be better, and suddenly changes his choice, the previous decision becomes meaningless.
Dox was left speechless, forced to listen to Black Earl and Angel’s conversation, trying to analyze the hidden information in their dialogue.
Angel: "It’s not about who it suits, but about broadening one’s horizons."
Black Earl gave Angel a deep look: "So you agree that Spiwey’s theory, opening one’s eyes, is more important than confining self-learning?"
The Spiwey Black Earl mentioned was not the one whose soul entered a young body, falling from a wizard to an apprentice and starting over under Flora’s tutelage, but the scheming Great Wizard Spiwey from five thousand years ago.
Angel: "Don’t extend my words to the age-old factional and theoretical battles. I don’t want to see myself in magazines as a faction supporter when I go out in the future."
Before, Rhein had mentioned to be careful around Black Earl. He might not dare to harm you, but he will trap you in small details. Sometimes, you fall into his trap unwittingly, and Black Earl controls a well-selling wizard magazine that almost all wizard families in Flourish Continent subscribe to.
Many gossip magazines eye these family magazines, adding fuel to rumors.
So, with public opinion in Black Earl’s hands, say less about views and more about facts when dealing with him.
"My thoughts are simple. Undeniably, the scope of my knowledge is too narrow. To truly establish myself as an Official Wizard, I need to absorb diverse knowledge. Only by broadening my horizon can I integrate and find the most suitable knowledge for me."
Angel paused, then continued: "This theory comes from a wizard who recently invented a spell technique. Her summary, I believe, because that’s exactly what she’s done."
Earlier, Angel earnestly answered the reason but then shifted the topic to a "recently invented spell technique" wizard. This tactic was also a diversion, as everyone realized he was changing the subject to avoid Black Earl’s trap, yet they couldn’t help but be drawn in.
Who is this wizard who recently invented a spell technique? Angel used a female reference, so it’s a female wizard?
While everyone pondered, Black Earl privately messaged Angel: "Are you referring to Greya?"
Angel: "Yes."
Black Earl: "To my knowledge, Greya’s recent breakthrough seemed to happen on Illusion Demon Island, with your influence behind it?"
Angel: "I didn’t expect the Black Earl, who is so close to Lord Rhein, to also plant spies in Barbarian Cave."
These things are not known to outsiders. Moreover, Rhein ordered secrecy, so only a spy could have leaked this information.
"How can you call them spies, merely developed intelligence personnel," Black Earl said, quite aggrieved: "I only developed an apprentice-level informant, but that old Rhein adapted one of my third-generation descendants as a spy. Comparatively, I am much milder."
Angel: "..." Lord Rhein is formidable.
Of course, more formidable is Black Earl knowing his descendant was made a spy, yet he couldn’t easily eliminate them, as they are kin. Instead, he tried to convert or, at least, make them a double agent...
However, why were they talking about espionage?
Angel shook his head, eager to steer the conversation back on track: "Indeed, I meant Greya. I was beside her when she created the spell technique, so forcibly saying it was related to me, I concede. But the impact? Minimal."
"Back then, Lord Rhein was also present. According to Lord Rhein, her creation had hit a bottleneck, purely because she was fixated on the culinary system. When she discovered broader horizons and witnessed a more vibrant world, she could touch upon her core, elevating the culinary system to new heights."
Angel: "This is why I don’t limit myself to the breadth of knowledge. While you think the clone talent is more fitting for bloodline-focused Dox, I don’t deny it. However, I may not practice it; I just want to understand its principle, for analogical learning."
"Who knows, if I create a new spell, it may relate to the clone technique knowledge imparted by Black Earl?"
Angel said this casually, and instead of being displeased, Black Earl felt delighted. Black Earl is not that generous a person, though he isn’t stingy either, unwilling to disclose his spell technique secrets randomly. However, if it’s a genius like Angel seeking guidance, he wouldn’t mind sharing his non-talent based technical core knowledge.
Just as Angel said, "if he creates a spell relating to his own clone technique," it would be quite prestigious for Black Earl. More importantly, creating based on a rooted basis could open broader vistas for Black Earl.
This is an exclusive exchange among geniuses. Black Earl wouldn’t hide in this exchange but would hope Angel truly could, from his perspective, creatively integrate with the knowledge provided by Black Earl, forming new capabilities.
Angel wasn’t aware of such an "unspoken rule" in the Wizards’ Realm and only said it offhandedly but unexpectedly touched Black Earl’s heart.
"In that case, I look forward to seeing what kind of spell you will create."
With this sentence, Black Earl solidified the agreement with Angel.
Angel hadn’t thought much of it, as Black Earl had hinted before about sharing clone talent knowledge with him. To Angel, this knowledge might not necessarily be useful, but since it was a bonus, he didn’t mind.
After all, his eagerness to visit Augustine’s Legacy Site wasn’t any less than Black Earl’s. No extra incentives were needed; he would go anyway, and even more so with a bonus.
However, thinking back, he did mention Greya earlier.
In fact, he slightly lied about this matter. When Greya created the spell, his influence wasn’t slight but definitely substantial.
According to the original timeline, Greya’s second creation should at least wait until she found a body, nurtured it for a few or even a dozen years. However, Angel inadvertently accelerated this agenda.
The most secretive ability that Angel absorbed from the Dalmatian: Mysterious Concrete Object.
This was the source of Greya’s sudden creation.
Angel rarely used the Mysterious Concrete Object, as he was an apprentice at that time. Sanders advised him to avoid using it, as it was like a baby holding treasure through a busy market, inviting disaster and envy.
Unless Angel became an Official Wizard and then a True Knowledge Wizard, with formidable strength as support, he could use it in moderation, mostly on himself.
He was now one step away from being a True Knowledge Wizard. If coupled with Earl Mi and Toby’s combat power, he would surpass ordinary True Knowledge Wizards.
Since that’s the case, could he now use the Mysterious Concrete Object?
Maybe he could attempt to combine it with spell techniques, or use it in alchemy?
Thinking of the Mysterious Concrete Object, Angel’s thoughts drifted further away, and his desire to practice grew more urgent, almost forgetting where he was.