Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2507: Chapter 2508: Princess Town

Princess Town is located in a sunken valley surrounded by three mountains, with several hunter cabins built by the lake outside.

At first glance, these hunter cabins seem unremarkable, but from their distribution, Angel vaguely senses a familiar feeling.

Abulei: "The way to enter Princess Town used to be simply by following the pattern of entering these hunter cabins, and when you come out, you would see the entrance. But now, the method of entering is still the same as before, but each time you enter a cabin, you have to input a bit of energy at a specific place."

Angel frowned slightly: "Input your own energy?"

Abulei nodded: "Yes, but this is rather risky, as each wizard’s energy has distinct characteristics that can easily arouse suspicion among the higher-ups of Princess Town. So, the safest way is to use a Magic Crystal to replace your own energy and input it into the specific entrance."

"Basically, if you don’t input your own energy, just relying on a Magic Crystal to open the door to Princess Town requires at least a mid-to-low-quality Magic Crystal."

Beside them, Dox nodded, speaking with a near-mocking tone: "I’ve heard about this too. Apparently, this rule was added after the town was renamed Princess Town. The reason for inputting energy is because these cabins seem to be connected to a certain defense Magical Energy Array in Princess Town. They claim it’s everyone’s duty to protect the town, but in reality, it seems they’re too lazy to provide the energy to maintain the Magic Array."

After listening to Abulei and Dox’s words, Angel suddenly understood why he felt a sense of familiarity with the distribution of those hunter cabins.

Because they seem to be situated on some energy nodes of a Magical Energy Array!

Whether this is true or not, we’ll know when we go down and check.

The flying boat landed, and Angel and Dox descended to the ground, but Abulei seemed hesitant, wanting to say something.

Angel understood Abulei’s thoughts at the moment and was about to speak with her when the Crowned Parrot jumped out first, shooting words at Abulei like a machine gun.

"What’s the big deal about being hunted once? Afraid of being recognized? Just use Shapeshifting Technique! Can’t even do that? You’re such a waste! Why did I sign a contract with a waste like you this time, are you really a wizard?"

Although the Crowned Parrot was scolding Abulei, Dox couldn’t help but feel a bit offended... because he too couldn’t use Shapeshifting Technique. As a wandering wizard, he couldn’t get his hands on the skin of a soft amoeba, and as for self-study, he was making efforts, although his progress was currently less than one percent.

Dox remained silent, knowing that if he didn’t speak, no one would realize he couldn’t use Shapeshifting Technique.

The Crowned Parrot continued with a look of exasperation, "Can’t do Shapeshifting Technique, then you’ll just have to resort to makeup, it’s the cheapest way to change your appearance. Don’t tell me you can’t even do the most basic skill that women have?"

Abulei shivered, not daring to speak.

The Crowned Parrot already understood the answer. It almost couldn’t hold back, wanting to return to its original realm.

But at that moment, Angel spoke up: "Come down."

Angel’s voice seemed to carry a certain mystical magic, and as his words fell, Abulei felt the surrounding air ripple like water.

But upon sensing it once more, that energy quickly vanished.

At this moment, Abulei’s appearance had changed from a freckle-faced girl with glasses to someone completely unremarkable without any distinctive features.

"Level 2 Trick, Disguise Technique?" Dox whispered softly, "However, it feels a bit different, I can’t sense any Illusion Node."

Angel did not respond but turned directly and entered one of the hunter cabins.

Having changed her appearance, Abulei followed along.

"That’s the place to input energy." Abulei pointed to a groove on the cabin wall, its shape clearly designed to conveniently hold a Magic Crystal.

Angel carefully examined the area around the groove and temporarily found no anomalies, until he took out a Magic Crystal and placed it in the groove, at which point transformations began to appear in the world of energy.

Angel meticulously sensed the flow of energy around him.

After some time, Angel moved on to the next hunter cabin, repeating the process of perceiving the direction of energy flow as before.

One cabin, then another.

It wasn’t until the last cabin that everyone stood there, waiting for Angel to place the nearly depleted Magic Crystal.

However, Angel made no move, instead turning to Abulei: "The last time you came, did you input energy or use a Magic Crystal?"

Abulei: "Magic Crystal."

"Wise choice." For once, Angel praised her.

Abulei: "Before I left the Barbarian Cave, Gu, Gu Yina gave me many precautions. Among them, she particularly noted not to expose personal magic power characteristics. That’s why I thought of this and used a Magic Crystal."

After finishing speaking, Abulei’s expression dimmed, and she hesitated: Was Gu Yina truly so utterly wicked?

Before Abulei could think deeply, the Crowned Parrot flapped its wings and slapped her with one of them.

"I know exactly what’s going on in your mind. Truly foolish, do you really believe in Gu Yina? Do you not understand that the human skin doll she gave you definitely has something shady about it? I can smell that evil scent just by sniffing."

Under the parrot’s slap, Abulei was stunned, and her thoughts in her mind were wiped clean.

Seeing this scene, Angel suddenly remembered Dox’s previous words: If it were up to me, when I’m in a good mood, I’d just slap once; if one slap doesn’t wake them up, then I’d slap again.

The Crowned Parrot clearly hadn’t overheard Dox’s words yet enacted them at this moment. To be honest, the Crowned Parrot and Dox may not get along, but on this point, their thoughts and actions converged.

Angel laughed secretly, no longer paying attention to the commotion behind, and took out a Magic Crystal, placing it in the last groove.

Dox leaned in: "Did you find something?"

Angel: "Hmm?"

"Why did you ask Abulei whether she input energy or used a Magic Crystal?"

Dox’s question piqued the curiosity of both Abulei and the Crowned Parrot.

Angel didn’t hide anything and plainly said, "There are indeed Magical Energy Arrays within these cabins, but they aren’t just defense arrays; they also include surveillance arrays. If you input your own energy, once you enter the range of the Magical Energy Array, you are essentially in a state of being entirely exposed in Princess Town."

"In fact, surveillance-type Magical Energy Arrays exist in almost every Wizard Market, but they only track violent energy fluctuations to prevent conflicts. The surveillance array previously used here should have been for this purpose, but with slight modifications, it now tracks individuals inputting energy."

Upon hearing this, Abulei felt a cold sweat break out; thankfully, she used a Magic Crystal last time, or she wouldn’t have been able to enter Princess Town this time.

After listening, Dox didn’t react much: "I had guessed this was the reason too, King Gumman’s control craving seems to be intensifying. It feels like, under King Gumman’s control, this country will drift toward an unknown extreme."

Dox slightly sighed, you could see the paranoia and control desire of King Gulman from the Magical Energy Array.

No wonder all the witcher organizations dislike entering the Wizard Market of Gumman Kingdom. It’s full of spies everywhere, even walking on the streets feels like being naked, watched closely by those in power.

"King Gulman’s style has nothing to do with our mission, let’s go. The gates of Princess Town should be open now."

Angel looked at the broken Magic Crystals in the groove and turned to leave the small cottage.

As the cottage door was opened, the outside was no longer facing the clear lake in the canyon but a bustling long street.

Judging by the density of the people, it somewhat resembles the surface layer of the Sandworm Market. Occasionally there are gatherings of people, but mostly it’s sparse.

The threshold to enter Princess Town is higher than other wizard markets, so fewer people is normal.

After Angel and the two others entered Princess Town, Dox yawned lazily, saying, "The second-floor window of the house on the right, the clerk of the shop on the left, and that dog beside the flower platform, they’re all watching us."

In fact, there were many more eyes watching them than he mentioned. Being newcomers, curiosity was expected.

But those Dox pointed out were watching them with purpose, unlike others who were just sizing them up.

Presumably, it’s the upper levels of Princess Town wanting maximum control over the market, with eyes on everyone entering.

However, by normal inference, unless one is wanted by Princess Town, this surveillance won’t last long.

To avoid alerting any suspicions, Angel and the others wandered the streets, occasionally buying some low-level materials, finally lodging in a luxury hotel near the Teleportation Array.

Sure enough, upon the realization their destination might be tomorrow’s Teleportation Array, the shadowy observers vanished.

These visitors who could leave at any moment weren’t worth too much attention.

After the surveillance ceased, Angel and the others left the hotel to head to the tavern opened by Old Porter.

Old Porter is a third-level apprentice, having lost hope in promotion, he took on a foreign assignment, lurking in Princess Town for years with the main task of observing changes in the Gumman Kingdom.

When seeing Old Porter, he was cheerfully greeting a group of people wearing armored knight attire, offering them drinks and snacks, creating an atmosphere of joy for the guests.

Angel noticed that these armored knight attires carried a "wreath wrapped around a sword" emblem.

Angel didn’t recognize this emblem, but Abulei seemed to have seen it before, hesitating for a moment, she said in the mind ribbon Angel constructed earlier, "The emblem worn by those knights, I’ve seen it on the guards of Princess Castle."

That is to say, even if these armored knights aren’t the guards of Princess Castle, they are undoubtedly related to it.

They sat on the side, casually ordering a few drinks, quietly waiting.

When that group of armored knights drunkenly left the tavern, Old Porter then came over and quietly said, "Come follow me to the back hall."

Old Porter didn’t recognize them, nor did he recognize Abulei who used Disguise Technique, the reason he recognized them immediately was due to a few small actions Abulei made upon entering.

They were actually secret codes known only to Barbarian Cave members, evidently, Old Porter recognized the secret codes.

The three did not speak, following Old Porter to a well-guarded secret chamber.

Upon arriving, Old Porter exhaled with relief, "Apologies for my negligence earlier, those armored knights I was greeting were actually Modia’s guards. Some situations occurred on my side, I was trying to gather information through these guards."

Although Old Porter had already sent the intelligence here, it would take at least a week for it to reach, and then the organization would send people to handle it. Therefore, he assumed these three were just passing through Princess Town and didn’t reveal much.

After Old Porter finished speaking, he inquired about the trio’s purpose.

Angel and Dox remained silent, Abulei hesitated for a moment and said, "Old Porter, it’s me. I am Abulei."

Abulei? Old Porter looked at the unassuming girl in front of him with suspicion, her appearance was very different from Abulei’s.

Seeing Old Porter’s confusion, Angel casually removed Abulei’s Disguise Technique.

Once he confirmed it was really Abulei, Old Porter exhaled deeply, "You’re okay, that’s really great."

Old Porter was aware of Abulei being chased, he even secretly sent some subordinates to help. However, the number of Royal Knight Group members was far too many, and for those subordinate junior apprentices, it would be sending them to death. Moreover, they had hounds and hawk falcons, even trying to draw them away was tough.

Therefore, Old Porter ultimately asked his subordinates to return.

In Old Porter’s thoughts, Abulei was probably doomed, or had been captured by the Royal Knight Group.

So, Old Porter even mentioned Abulei’s situation in the intelligence letter he sent out.

Unexpectedly, not only was Abulei alright, but she also bravely returned to Princess Town.

Old Porter actually quite liked Abulei, mainly because dealing with the complexity of human minds too much, he was pleased to interact with such pure individuals like Abulei.

Thus, upon seeing Abulei return, his first reaction was happiness and relief, and the second was grabbing her, advising her to leave this troublesome place right away.

Seeing Old Porter even preparing to call his subordinates to send her away, Abulei quickly said, "I am not here alone, I have come with two Lords."

Lords?

Old Porter paused slightly in his actions, someone Abulei referred to as "Lord" could only be an Official Wizard.

Previously, Old Porter’s attention had been on Abulei and hadn’t noticed the two silent figures beside her, until now his gaze shifted over.

Angel was using Shapeshifting Technique, so Old Porter didn’t recognize him.

But Dox was using his original appearance, Old Porter scrutinized Dox, a name floating in his mind.

"Red Sword?!"

Dox lazily gave an "Uh-huh."

Old Porter while still surprised at Dox’s presence, with Abulei’s words catching his attention.

"This is Lord Pat."