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<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><title>Chapter 196 – Acquaintances</title></head><body><h1>Chapter 196 – Acquaintances</h1><p>Acquaintances</p><p>“I signed the contract under the witness of the Trial’s Eye, promising not to do anything that would harm Four Seasons Garden’s interests! If I go back on that agreement, I would undergo judgment…”</p><p>This was Leylin’s largest concern.</p><p>If he had the choice, he didn’t want to harm Four Seasons Garden since they had treated him quite well from the beginning.</p><p>“That’s easily solved! Here is a solution of Filthy Birds’ wings. As long as you have it, you can nullify your contract with the Four Seasons Garden!”</p><p>Giant threw a bottle of grey solution towards Leylin.</p><p>“You even have items that are already extinct!” Leylin caught the bottle and let the A.I. Chip test the authenticity of the item. The results made him gasp.</p><p>With such a degree of preparation, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that this had been premeditated long ago.</p><p>“Hehe… This isn’t mine but belongs to the ‘Boss’ behind me. He especially left this for you from his own collection!”</p><p>Giant did not claim the credit for himself and used a straightforward tone, which made Leylin slightly fearful.</p><p>“So, what’s your answer?”</p><p>“Acknowledging the strength of others is the instinct of all dark Magi. I first need to verify your strength!” Leylin pondered for a moment and then spoke.</p><p>“You will see…” Giant’s voice began to be less discernible.</p><p>Large amounts of green mist shrouded the surrounding area, enveloping Leylin within.</p><p>Some time later, the mist dispersed and Leylin left, his expression serious. He seemed to be worrying about many things.</p><p>“I never thought it’d be him…”</p><p>Following which, Leylin calmed himself and returned to his accommodations, as if nothing had happened.</p><p>After a night passed, Leylin continued on his journey.</p><p>The Eternal River Plains were situated at the border between the light and dark Magi’s territories. Security there was the most chaotic.</p><p>Here, even within the city, armed confrontations, robbery, murder, and other crimes happened daily. At times, there would even be the occasional battle between Magi!</p><p>In this situation, the guards of the city were more like professional corpse carriers and were in charge of clearing the roads everyday.</p><p>After Eternal River Plains’ secret plane had been discovered, a large number of Magi flowed in, causing even more chaos in this place.</p><p>On the way, just the number of people who were looking to seek revenge was above 15. This meant that every once in awhile, there would be someone with such a motivation.</p><p>If not for Leylin and his group wearing clothing that gave them an air of mystery, even Magi like them might meet with some trouble.</p><p>After walking out of a city of regular humans, Leylin suddenly started, seeming to have seen some familiar figures.</p><p>“Master, what’s wrong? Is there something wrong with those acolytes?”</p><p><br/>Number 2 and 3 approached him and enquired.</p><p>“It’s nothing!” Leylin answered casually. Even if it was them, they were from two different worlds. Leylin wasn’t planning on maintaining any contact with them, and passing them by. This might be the best for them.</p><p>Sometimes, however, fate was such a strange thing that could not be hindered.</p><p>Just as Leylin was hastening his travelling and leaving the gates, he bumped into those acolytes from earlier.</p><p>“Leylin! Hi! Leylin! Is that you?” Within the group of acolytes, a tall young man standing in the front was yelling excitedly.</p><p>They had been quite a distance away previously, but now that they met, the acolyte opposite to Leylin had instantly recognised him.</p><p>“Long time no see!” Leylin watched the acolytes, who were moving forward attentively, and couldn’t help but give a gentle smile in greeting.</p><p>After strengthening his body, Leylin’s physique and sight had vastly improved. He could easily see that out of all the acolytes, the one who had shouted was very tall and a had a head of long golden hair, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a high nose bridge.</p><p>There was also a female acolyte with an exquisitely curvy body, silver hair and eyes like rubies. She constantly emanated an exotic charm.</p><p>Leylin immediately recognised these two acolytes. They were the people he hadn’t seen in ages—George and Bessita!</p><p>“But isn’t George an acolyte at the Ennea Ivory Ring Tower? Why is he together with Bessita, who’s from Wetland Gardens Academy?”</p><p>This thought went through his mind for a split second before he was interrupted, as George had brought Bessita and the others to approach him.</p><p>“Leylin, it’s really you! I thought I’d gotten the wrong person!”</p><p>George was a good friend that he’d made on that first journey in the beginning, and just like before, he affectionately gave Leylin a bear hug.</p><p>Bessita, on the other hand, was twiddling her fingers at the side, seemingly embarrassed.</p><p>At the beginning, she had caused much trouble for Leylin. Of course, after Leylin had viciously beat up her ‘flower guardian’ as a threat to her, this woman had become very silent.</p><p>However, she was still able to pass the magician aptitude test and enter the Wetland Gardens Academy.</p><p>“Hi, Leylin.” Bessita looked to be rather indifferent.</p><p>“Come here! Leylin, let me introduce you. This is Alexander!” George pointed at a youth with reddish-brown hair.</p><p>“This here is Lana! And the beauty in pink clothing is our long distance attacker— Shiera!”</p><p>After that, George introduced the two female acolytes beside him. Lana was alright, but Sheira aggressively pinched the flesh on George’s waist. He immediately let out exaggerated sounds of pain; it looked as if these two had a less innocent relationship.</p><p>Leylin couldn’t help but glance at Sheila more closely. She wore pink hunter gear that exposed a pair of milky white thighs. She was tall and carried a green wooden bow, looking to be a good match with George.</p><p>Even Leylin had to admit that George had pretty good taste.</p><p>“Leylin, why aren’t you introducing your two friends here to us?” After saying that, George mock punched Leylin’s chest, which stunned him a little.</p><p>He looked at his own attire and then responded.</p><p>For the sake of convenience while travelling, Leylin and his two Grand Knights had on civilian clothing. After obtaining the old witch’s spirit force compression method, he would also habitually conceal his energy waves, which indicated that he was an official Magus.</p><p>His two spiritually bound slaves were treated the same way.</p><p>Hence, George and the others, who were still acolytes, obviously were unable to discover Leylin’s concealment and treated him as a regular acolyte.</p><p>“These are my two friends. We met on the way and appeared to be going to the same place. They aren’t very talkative and are a little antisocial!”</p><p>Leylin threw a sculpture of a wyvern into Number 2 and Number 3’s hands. “Take this and leave first. We’ll meet at our destination!”</p><p>Upon receiving their master’s secret instructions, Number 2 and Number 3 nodded and left on horseback.</p><p>“Leylin, it’s best if you’re warier when interacting with them. I always feel uncomfortable around them…”</p><p>George looked at the figures of Number 2 and Number 3 as they left, and he whispered to Leylin.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I know my limits!”</p><p>Leylin nodded.</p><p>“Haha… Let’s not talk about this anymore. Leylin, we haven’t met in six or seven years, huh? This time, we have to drink to our heart’s content!”</p><p>George naturally put an arm around Leylin’s shoulder, and one could hear his excessive and proud laughter from miles away. “Guess what? Two years ago, I advanced and became a level 3 acolyte! Even my mentor complimented me for this! But it’s not much; it can’t be helped that I only have a fourth-grade aptitude.”</p><p>Due to this chance meeting, Leylin and George dispelled all thoughts of leaving the city and returned inside. They found a small bar and prepared to reminisce.</p><p>After two beers, Leylin had gleaned everything he wanted to know from George.</p><p>George was obviously still a student of Ennea Ivory Ring Tower, and so was his girlfriend, Sheira.</p><p>Bessita, Lana, and that guy called Alexander were all acolytes from the Wetland Gardens Academy.</p><p>The reason for their trip here was to complete missions issued by their respective academies. George and Bessita knew each other well, so the two little teams naturally travelled together.</p><p>“We’re in deep trouble. We were actually allocated a defence mission in which we must enter, as well as establish a presence in the Eternal River Plain’s secret plane!” George had a look of prolonged suffering on his face, and when they got to this topic, even Sheira and Bessita looked gloomy.</p><p>The secret plane was under the control of official Magi, and a few acolytes like them wouldn’t be able to create a tiny disarray within. They were but cannon fodder, and could die at any time.</p><p>Leylin glanced at these people. In this group of five that had temporarily been banded together, George and Bessita were level 3 acolytes, and the other three had reached level 2. In general, their total power was similar to the group of five acolytes that he had destroyed outside the Zither Moon Town.</p><p>“Oh, right! How about you, Leylin? Your aura seems pretty strong. You must be a level 3 acolyte, right?”</p><p>George seemed to be asking without any intent. Bessita, who was using a straw to drink her beverage, visibly strained to hear his answer.</p><p>“I was lucky enough to advance to a level 3 acolyte a few months ago!” Leylin chuckled.</p><p>“It’s not easy to advance to a level 3 acolyte! Come! Let us drink to our future as Magi!”</p><p>George hid none of his thoughts and yelled, attracting the attention of the surrounding people.</p><p>“Cheers!” Six glasses of beer clinked together.</p><p>After a bout of drinking, George asked, “Leylin, where are you now? In the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy? Only after entering my academy did I find out that the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy was a dark Magus academy that was at odds with us. It’s even forbidden for us to communicate with them.”</p><p>“What? Abyssal Bone Forest?! That Abyssal Bone Forest Academy?”</p><p>The moment the words came out of George’s mouth, Lana and Alexander were like kittens who had had their tails stepped on, and jumped in shock.</p><p>Sheira didn’t say anything, but the gaze in her eyes was more guarded when looking at Leylin.</p><p>“Alright! Alright! Don’t be this tense! Leylin and I are good friends; he is different from other dark Magi…”</p><p>Only then did George realise the slip of his tongue, as he stood and awkwardly gave a closure on the topic.</p></body></html> |