Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2343: Chapter 2344: Quenching Fluid

Angel cast a deep glance at Fritz, showing a bit of interest in his research.

However, Angel did not speak to Fritz immediately but walked over to Dangross.

Dangross was evidently still immersed in his own world, not reacting at all, even as Angel approached.

Seeing Dangross’s addict-like appearance, Angel muttered to himself, "Could it really be something addictive?"

Angel summoned a pale blue Hand of Magic that scooped Dangross up from the ground.

Since Dangross was coated in the fiery red liquid, the Hand of Magic naturally made contact with the liquid upon touching Dangross.

The Hand of Magic that Angel released now was more sensitive to energy than Angel’s real hand. And that fiery red liquid just happened to contain a certain energy.

Sensing the burning tingling sensation on the Hand of Magic, Angel murmured, "This is... quenching fluid."

Kneeling beside him, Fritz clearly recognized Angel as well. He respectfully said with a slightly trembling voice, "Yes, yes. Dangross likes quenching fluid, so I... I helped it apply it to itself."

Quenching fluid is a special combustion aid usually carried only by alchemy apprentices, as they cannot control the temperature of flames like true alchemists and can only rely on quenching fluid for assistance.

Seeing Angel remain silent, Fritz asked worriedly, "My lord, is the quenching fluid bad for Dangross? I, I..."

Angel carefully observed Dangross.

Quenching fluid only raises the temperature of the flame, and since Dangross is a flame being, the quenching fluid should not be harmful to it. At least for now, Angel did not sense any anomaly with Dangross, except that its body temperature was somewhat higher than usual. If placed on dry wood, Dangross could set it aflame just by the heat it releases without actively conjuring fire.

But this shouldn’t lead to any issues, right?

Angel: "Did Dangross actively seek Neya to release you just so you could apply quenching fluid for it?"

Fritz nodded: "Yes."

Angel pondered for a moment: "It should be fine then."

Although Dangross sometimes acts on impulse, it’s not stupid. Since it actively sought Fritz, the quenching fluid likely won’t affect it negatively and might even have an enhancing effect?

It’s just that this effect seems a bit off-track... Angel looked at the clearly "high" Dangross and couldn’t help but shake his head and sigh.

Seeing Dangross still lost in its stupor, Angel didn’t wake it but turned to the visibly nervous Fritz.

"I heard from Drue that Dangross burned down half the palace and Cypress Street too. Tell me, I want to know the details."

Fritz, not daring to refuse, recounted the situation truthfully.

...

Half an hour later, Angel left the garden enclosed by high walls. He was holding a thin skin scroll in his hand.

The skin scroll recorded the potion recipe for "Boiling Red Water."

Neya stayed by Angel’s side the entire time and finally asked curiously once they left the walled courtyard, "Is Fritz’s recipe useful?"

Angel shrugged: "I don’t know."

Neya was taken aback. She assumed the recipe was useful, seeing how Angel examined Fritz’s handbook and left with it, yet Angel responded... he didn’t know?

Seeing Neya’s hesitant expression, Angel chuckled softly: "I truly don’t know if this recipe is useful, but compared to other recipes in Fritz’s handbook, this one has the highest chance of success."

The reason he took the recipe wasn’t due to greed, but simply because it felt awkward to refuse at the time.

At that point, after discussing Dangross’s situation, Fritz earnestly asked Angel for guidance in alchemy. Angel could sense Fritz’s passion for alchemy and finally nodded.

Then Fritz handed over his handbook, hoping for Angel’s insight.

Angel flipped through the handbook, which recorded Fritz’s wildly creative potion recipes. In Angel’s view, many ideas were bold but lacked practical feasibility. This is a common flaw among those who haven’t systematically learned the essence of alchemy.

When setting the handbook down, Angel noticed Fritz’s mix of pride, modesty, and a bit of hopeful eagerness in his eyes. He remained silent for two seconds.

Fritz’s life devoted to potionology was fueled by passion, and Angel was hesitant to disillusion him directly.

He didn’t want to lie, either, so he discussed the "Boiling Red Water," offering his suggestions. At least some concepts were correct, with a certain chance of success. Additionally, Angel appreciated Fritz’s vision for the Rockborn Sol-Gel.

After offering some mild praise for the "Boiling Red Water," Fritz, feeling validated, enthusiastically handed the skin scroll to Angel.

Seeing Fritz’s fervent expression, Angel hesitated for a few seconds but still accepted it.

Acting out of goodwill, before leaving, Angel couldn’t help but advise Fritz to visit the Wizard Market for a copy of the "Framework of Potionology." But whether Fritz would heed this advice was uncertain.

In Angel’s own opinion, Fritz had potential, but he lacked opportunities. If he could grasp the basics further, he might even triumph utilizing "Boiling Red Water"... Of course, that would be the best-case scenario.

Listening to Angel’s words and recalling the earlier exchange between Angel and Fritz, Neya quickly grasped the situation.

Neya softly said, "You are indeed gentle, just as Frode said."

Angel raised an eyebrow, making no comment.

Not long after leaving the high walls, Angel saw a group of fire-clad guards running eastward.

Neya: "That palace over there probably has another fire rekindled. Sigh, the climate has been dry these days, so there’s nothing we can do."

Angel stopped walking and looked up at the clear night sky: "Is the air dry? I feel it’s quite humid... it might even rain soon."

Neya glanced doubtfully at the sky and then at Angel opposite her. To her, the air felt so dry that her lips were about to crack. Was this really called humid?

While Neya remained puzzled, Angel paused and said, "Let’s end it here. I’ll leave with Dangross now."

After his words, Angel smiled slightly, light flickered beneath his feet, and his body leapt into the night sky, disappearing completely.

Neya lowered her head, bidding Angel farewell respectfully.

After Angel’s figure disappeared from sight, Neya looked up at the clear, cloudless night sky and murmured softly, "With weather like this, how could it possibly rain..."

Neya shook her head and turned to walk towards the high walls. However, after taking only a few steps, she noticed the sky seemed darker, and the shadows illuminated by moonlight began to fade.

She looked up in confusion and, at some point, the clear night sky was gone, replaced by layers of clouds shrouding the stars and moon. The clouds swirled continuously, as if propelled by a massive fan within.

Seconds later, amidst the exclamations of joy from the surrounding guards, Neya felt a slight weight on her head, and her hair tips became a bit damper.

A long-awaited downpour quietly fell.

...

Minutes later, Angel landed outside Star Lake Castle.

The pouring rain kept battering the surface of Star Lake, creating large ripples.

Walking along the lakeside, Angel made his way towards the castle. As soon as he entered through the large doors, the protective purifying field around him vanished.

Upon entering, the first thing Angel saw was Frode approaching to greet him.

"Weren’t you supposed to stay over at the Earth Cavern?" Angel casually asked.

Frode, with a cheerful smile, said, "No need to go to the Earth Cavern for now."

Angel paused, looking at Frode with curiosity, his gaze slowly scanning the room until it settled on a corner of the hall.

A little girl in a blood-red dress was floating above the dining table, her black-brown cascading hair continuously growing longer and longer... until it surpassed her height. The hair, seemingly alive, twisted and transformed into a nimble hand, which then smacked a dessert in front of a maid below off the table.

The maid let out a wail, glaring at the little girl above her, "If you keep this up, I’m going to get angry!"

"Then go ahead and get angry," the little girl indifferently taunted, even provocatively encouraging her.

"Y-You brute!" the maid stood up, "I celebrated for you, specifically had the chef make this cake, and you still don’t appreciate it!"

"Celebrating for me?" The little girl rolled her eyes, "You’re the one eating and eating while I watch by the side. That’s called celebrating for me?"

The maid’s expression flashed with a hint of embarrassment, pausing slightly before saying, "You can’t eat, so I-I was eating on your behalf."

"This is the first time I’ve heard of celebrating on someone’s behalf."

Maid: "..., Regardless, you shouldn’t have knocked over the cake. The chef worked really hard on it."

The little girl snorted coldly, ignoring the maid’s protest, continuing to manipulate the hand formed from her hair to knock over various foods on the table, leaving the maid’s eyes red with tears forming.

Angel watched this scene, finally understanding Frode’s meaning: "Shanni succeeded as well?"

The little girl floating above the dining table was indeed Shanni.

Angel remembered that when he left the Earth Cavern for Saint Sem City, Shanni hadn’t even awoken yet. He hadn’t expected that in just a few hours, Shanni had emerged.

Frode nodded, "Just recently, Shanni reached the final step. I was so nervous at the time, fearing she’d fall, but fortunately, she pulled through."

Since Shanni had successfully comprehended the Soul Trick, Frode naturally had no reason to stay at the Earth Cavern any longer.

Angel: "That’s indeed good news, and Shanni’s control over her Soul Force is not bad."

As they chatted, they walked deeper into the hall. However, even as they entered, the little girl’s dispute with the maid at the table did not cease.

Frode walked over to the maid, tapping her forehead with a hint of exasperation, "Stop dawdling and come out."

The maid pouted, huffed twice, then rolled her eyes back and fainted. As she collapsed, a cute little boy’s spirit emerged from the top of her head, it was Adar.

After instructing a Knight nearby to take the maid back to her room, Frode had the two little ones sit properly on a side sofa.

Adar was still a bit dissatisfied, "It was clearly Shanni’s fault. You didn’t blame her but instead called me out. It was so hard to find someone willing to let me possess them... You are biased, Sir Tyson."

Frode pretended not to hear, while Shanni giggled to the side, "It’s because you’re the only one who can eat now~"

Frode mentally gave Shanni a thumbs up, but outwardly maintained a facade of impartiality, "You all wait here for now, especially you, Shanni. You’ve just learned the Soul Trick and need some settling down. Also, stop bullying Adar, or I’ll make you perform with Flafiel at the square for weeks!"

With the two little ones settled, Frode headed to the window where Angel was standing, gazing out at the drizzling rain.

"Sir, where’s Dangross?"

Angel looked out the window, softly replying, "It’ll arrive soon."

Just as he finished speaking, there was a bang as the door swung open.

A drenched figure appeared at the entrance, palms filled with pale severed hands. Shivering as it stepped inside.

"Dangross?" Frode looked over in surprise, "Why were you outside?"

Dangross swayed as it walked in, occasionally trembling to disperse the moisture from its body.

"I-I don’t know either, how I ended up on the flowerbed outside. Wasn’t I in the Ruby Garden..." Dangross’s voice carried confusion.

"Who knows," Angel remarked, "Weren’t you the one who walked back here?"

Frode looked at Dangross, then back at Angel, unsure of the current situation.

Dangross murmured, "Did I walk back on my own?"

Angel nodded, "Probably, otherwise why appear here. Can’t you remember?"

Dangross mumbled to itself, "Is that so? I remember being in the Ruby Garden, enjoying the quenching liquid. Then something happened... I seem to have forgotten."

"Maybe you got tired of Saint Sem City and came back," Angel offered Dangross an excuse.

Dangross hesitated, then nodded instinctively, "I indeed got a bit tired, I kind of want..."

"Want what?" Frode inquired.

Dangross quickly cut itself off, "Nothing at all, Mr. Pat is right. Other than the quenching liquid, there’s nothing fun in Saint Sem City, so I just came back. Just didn’t expect it to rain, I despise rain."

As Dangross spoke, it subconsciously moved towards Angel.

But before it could get closer, a Hand of Magic intercepted it.

"I heard from Drue you caused some trouble in Saint Sem City..."

Dangross froze instantly, looking up to see Angel’s serious expression.

"I-I actually... it’s not all my fault..."

Ignoring Dangross’s mumbles, Angel used the Hand of Magic to lift it up, tossing it into the fireplace beside them, "Do you think you were completely blameless? Reflect on your actions here for now."

With that said, Angel turned around and sat elsewhere.

Frode: "Sir, Dangross..."

Angel: "Let it be, it needs some time to clear its head."

Whether it was throwing Dangross into the flowerbed to have it rained on for a bit or placing it in the fireplace, it was Angel’s way of allowing Dangross to clear its thoughts. Although the incident in Saint Sem City was more Fritz’s responsibility, Dangross wasn’t completely innocent. With a mind toward educating Dangross, Angel made this choice.

The Sage Magu should understand his efforts, right?