Kobold Wizard's Journal

Chapter 313 Trade-offs and Choices
dinner time.

Ruger looked up at the petite girl sitting at the head of the opposite table, who was not even as tall as the back of her chair. He then glanced at the gray-skirted girl standing to the side, acting as both servant and cook and waitress.

What a strange dinner, he thought.

Everything from the people and the food to the atmosphere was interesting; even the dining space seemed to have been snatched up.

However, these foods are indeed very special. Perhaps due to the environment of the Black Valley Domain, the underground beasts here have a unique taste. And the same pale green flames used in cooking as those on the street make the food even more special. With just simple processing, it has a unique flavor.

Luger chewed it carefully, even using his mental energy to sense it.

Long-term consumption of this type of food will naturally have specific effects on the body.

"You've come here for the ascension ceremony?"

As Nana Erz enjoyed the fine wine treasured by the original owner of the house, she suddenly spoke up.

Ruger blinked and swallowed the pungent-smelling beast meat in his mouth. He remembered that he had only said that he had an appointment with someone and had not mentioned the ascension ceremony.

"For a fifth-level wizard apprentice, the things they pursue, the things they travel long distances to strive for, are only a few..."

Her petite figure tilted the wine glass in her hand with an air of confidence.

The waitress in the gray dress beside her, though seemingly not understanding, was listening intently. These inexplicable events between extraordinary individuals were always so captivating to ordinary people.

“Besides, you seem to have forgotten that in the Nightmare World, you traded me for an ascension ritual that affected your own bloodline, but I don’t have that kind of thing,” the girl said, taking a small sip of dark purple wine. Her brows furrowed slightly, but she relaxed and continued sipping. “Actually, if you want to achieve that goal, the simplest way is through modification. For example, get a dragon’s heart and find a way to make it a part of yourself…”

"Dragons are also diverse. If there are no suitable ones, wizards will use their own methods to make them even more diverse."

Nana Erz spoke softly, seemingly enjoying the strange-tasting wine at dinner.

Ruger nodded, acknowledging that it was a feasible method, but then shook his head inwardly when he thought of the strange and wonderful fellows on the streets of Burning Blood City.

“You’re right, and your guess is accurate, but I’m not that eager yet.”

Ruger added another piece of meat to his plate and picked up his wine glass.

This action startled the girl in the gray dress standing nearby. She was momentarily stunned, as this was her job.

Ruger simply didn't want to miss the opportunity to use the Ascension Ritual. After all, it was a very good, so-called orthodox choice. He could still advance to become a formal wizard now. If that day ever came and he reached the first or second circle of wizards, but was blocked by the cursed power in his bloodline, then modifying himself would be an option to consider.

Luger, however, has not even reached the limit of his mental strength yet.

Only then did he realize that he could no longer perceive Nana'erz's condition. You see, when they first met in the Nightmare World, he and Raiden could tell at a glance, just by feeling, that this inexplicably appearing little guy had not reached the fifth level of wizard apprentice.

"you……"

In certain situations, it's difficult to discern someone's true strength without directly using mental power, such as when two people of similar strength are involved, or when a weaker person faces a stronger one. Furthermore, rashly using mental power to probe is generally not a desirable practice.

So Ruger didn't do that after meeting her, which is why he only noticed it now.

“No, I’m just an ordinary wizard apprentice whose mental strength has reached its limit,” the petite girl raised her eyes to indicate, and the alcohol flowed into the strange-tasting liquor at a perfect angle again. “Before I understand some things, I’m not in a hurry either.”

"I thought I should call you Lady Nanaerz."

Ruger habitually picked up the wine bottle from the side himself; the perfect angle always came from his own hands.

The reason he came here, besides the support of Old Dog Head and Jenny, was also because of the well he often recalled. His second answer came when, facing that well that might be connected to the spirit world as in legend, he asked about the sublimation ritual to solve the bloodline problem. This was not a well created out of thin air; it combined the questioner himself to give the so-called answer. At that time, two fleeting images appeared in response to this question: one was the sublimation ritual of the shepherd, and the other was the black round token given by this cheap teacher when he invited him.

However, this thing seems a bit off-topic.

For example, he had always thought that it was about cultivating special hair to use the power of the Hair Herder's sublimation ritual to achieve his goal, but later, he directly used the Spirit Hair Nourishment Technique to exchange with Nana Erz for a method that could use the Blood Curse Doll to condense his own bloodline. I wonder if this is also in the vague answer of that well.

"Let me guess, you came here hoping to meet the person with whom you made a pact, hoping to receive the Ascension Ritual from him, or the assistance of the Ascension Ritual. But the person who made a pact with you privately is probably not from a wizarding organization, but rather someone with considerable strength and relative freedom..."

The petite girl seemed to have gotten used to the wine in her glass, no longer showing the initial dissatisfaction, but instead beginning to enjoy its unique flavor.

Luger ate silently without saying a word.

He was actually quite full, but since the little guy opposite him, who wasn't even as tall as the back of the chair, had taken to conversation, he naturally had to play along.

Besides, he really wanted to hear what she would say.

“It’s a right choice, but also a wrong choice,” the petite girl’s expression changed slightly, seemingly affected by the alcohol. “It’s right because it offers more freedom, but freedom means fewer choices. In fact, some excellent wizarding apprentices choose another path. They often join large organizations or powerful wizarding forces, which makes it more likely that they will find the ascension ritual that truly suits them. But that also comes with some limitations…”

Ruger listened to her words and looked at her.

He thought she might not have undergone any physical enhancements, otherwise she shouldn't have gotten drunk so easily. But then he thought again, her body must be a special creation of the Nightmare World.

Could it be that the person who created her in the dream wanted her to be more ordinary?
Luger tilted his head.

While curiously pondering her, I also pondered her words.

In fact, Luger had also thought about these things. He initially wanted to enter the Temple of Knowledge, but after several private attempts to probe Lord Green, the apprentice seeker of the law, he found that entering such a powerful organization was not a simple matter. Moreover, after learning some things, he also became somewhat intimidated by the rules of those large organizations.

This little thing, which is not even as tall as a chair, also had one thing that was unexpected: the demon wizard's student, while relatively at ease, also had a side that was close to the wizarding organization.

"That's all for today, interesting Lord Ruger. It was a pleasure chatting with you."

Nana Erz clapped her hands lightly, and the flush of drunkenness on her face immediately disappeared.

(End of this chapter)