I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 204 New and old grudges
Treating a broken bone normally requires the seventh-circle divine spell Regeneration, which is far too difficult for an moon elf. Fortunately, DuPont's condition was not so dire that he had to be carried on a stretcher.

The blue dragon was finally dead. Its charge, which seemed intent on destroying everything, had lost its aim. Thanks to the moon elf's healing spells, the healing power of 'qi', and the miraculous potion from Nikaf, it did not lose the strength to dodge the deadly blow despite its severe injuries. The wounds on its body were entirely caused by that sweeping tail.

It might not even be as bad as the damage caused to him by the female elf's pounce.

"Alright, I'm not even crying, why are you crying?" DuPont looked at his panel and gasped. No wonder he still felt uncomfortable even though the pain was 90% blocked by the medicine. "Hurry up and heal me and bandage me up. If you dawdle any longer, I'm really going to be lying on the floor."

The one in even worse physical condition than him was Cui Xing.

The Sun Elf didn't engage in direct combat, but her energy absorption was clearly no match for the Blue Dragon's lightning breath. Although she was protected by a high-level stealth spell and wasn't hit, she was accidentally injured when the Blue Dragon reverted to its true form and became arrogant, suffering a severe blow from an unknown area-of-effect attack.

After a flurry of activity, DuPont's body was thoroughly marinated in the elixir ointment. Only after seeing that his internal bleeding had stabilized did he breathe a sigh of relief, get up, and use his cane to support himself.

"Hey, where are you going?" The Moon Elf helped DuPont up. She had regained her calm demeanor, but it was hard not to be angry to see DuPont start moving around again just as he was getting a little better. "Healing spells can only stabilize the wound. Your broken bone needs time to heal slowly. You need to rest."

"There are no enemies now, so what's there to be afraid of? Of course, we should take the spoils." His greatsword was snatched by this bastard. If he didn't kill him and it escaped, he would really lose 20,000 gold.

At this point, he suddenly remembered something and teased, "Hey, why were you crying just now? Were you worried about me?"

"No, I'm just feeling a little uneasy." The Moon Elf glanced at DuPont: "What's wrong?"

"Hey, you don't actually like me, do you?" DuPont coughed lightly. "I'm not even an adult yet. You're being a bit pedophilic. You could get arrested and thrown in jail for that."

“You’re almost six feet tall, what are you talking about? You’re just a teenager at best.” Moonflower raised her head, not even glancing at DuPont, who had a mischievous grin on his face. “I think you’ve recovered from your illness, and you’re thinking about all this nonsense.”

"Just curious." DuPont grasped the hand supporting his right arm. "Tell me about it?"

"We've lived together for a while now, even raising a dog will create feelings." The moon elf disdainfully let go of her hand: "I'm not going to bother with you anymore, I'm going to see the emerald star."

The moon elf left without warning. DuPont looked at the bandage on his left arm and remembered the musket he had just lost.

When his left arm completely failed, he had to drop the dwarven musket to gain leverage, hoping it hadn't been damaged by the blue dragon. Looking up, he saw his adoptive father standing blankly in front of the blue dragon after realizing he was mostly alright. This reminded him of the blue dragon's dying words: "This blue dragon is our enemy?"

"Well, according to your mother, it's not that; it's just a cycle of hatred." The baron sighed. "As adventurers, whether for bounties or to protect the peace of our region, we must kill all sorts of monsters."

“Although many monsters are not very intelligent, and some cold-blooded races are not very close to blood ties and kinship, we have indeed killed countless people and have borne countless blood debts.” The baron looked at the blue dragon’s blind eye and threw the musket to DuPont: “And if these monsters hold grudges, it is normal for them to retaliate against us.”

"So we killed the relatives or children of these blue dragons first?" DuPont touched the barrel and found a crack. According to the system, the chance of the barrel exploding had reached 30%, so it could no longer be used.

There was no way to repair it at the moment. DuPont put away the musket and looked at the huge corpse of the blue dragon: "This blue dragon is probably getting old."

"About that, probably four or five hundred years old?" The baron sighed. "Dragons are all troublesome enemies. If it's a red dragon, they'll at most take revenge on their enemies. They generally have no interest in caring about their relatives because these greedy and arrogant creatures see their mates as potential competitors. It's common for them to completely ignore their mates after they lay eggs."

"The Blue Dragon is a bit more troublesome, and its methods are rather ruthless. This guy actually killed Kaka without us even noticing, and then started monitoring our every move from inside that mage tower. No wonder we could never catch it invading."

"Then why doesn't it retaliate directly?" DuPont asked, puzzled. "When Victor and I were both younger, he must have had many opportunities."

"The concept of time for the immortal species is different from ours. After acquiring the Mage Tower, it also gained control over the area. Our town is now within its grasp. Whether it's the livestock or the people raised by the townspeople, they are all within its easy reach. This may have made it complacent."

"Of course, it's also possible that it doesn't care about revenge, or that it's waiting for a better opportunity, perhaps waiting for the DuPont family to grow stronger decades later to strike at our core, or perhaps it's reporting our dirty laundry so that we lose our title? Given enough time, there are too many possibilities."

Upon hearing this, DuPont couldn't help but shudder. This was truly an arrogant way of handling things: "Does he have any other relatives?"

"I don't know. Dragons can lay several eggs at once when they're in heat. While it takes 200 years for them to reach adulthood, a young dragon only takes a hundred. Even a 50-year-old dragon is a considerable threat," the baron chuckled, reassuringly explaining.
"There's no need to worry too much. In fact, they have countless enemies. For dragons, accumulating treasure and guarding their treasure are the most important things. As for other things, they are just pastimes in their spare time." The baron pointed to the blue dragon's chest: "See that reverse scale? It's usually where dragons keep their spatial bags. You can go and take a look."

DuPont eagerly went over to investigate and, sure enough, found his target near a particularly thick dragon scale. With a forceful lift, the spatial bag was found hidden in the gap of the scale.

Wow, a large space bag worth 10,000 gold coins.

His own adamantite greatsword.

More than thirty gemstones worth a thousand gold pieces, and more than one hundred gemstones worth a hundred gold pieces.

There were over a hundred magic scrolls. DuPont took out one and activated it with Thunder Wave, confirming that it was no longer a counterfeit.

Damn it, all that stuff this guy gave me before was garbage. Luckily I had some in stock, otherwise I'd be in big trouble tonight.

Some gold and silver artworks. DuPont couldn't see their value, so they just tossed them aside; they probably weren't worth much.

The agility gloves were the same as his previous ones, but this guy was clearly not very good at human physical combat, and he was always at a disadvantage when fighting him hand-to-hand.

There were quite a few magical items, but most of them weren't good; DuPont only saw a few special ones.

+2 Lightning Rejection Staff
Grade: Rare

Attribute: Uses Magic Counterspell three times per day; this spell is considered a level 10 caster.

When attacking with this staff, it will additionally inflict 1-4 lightning strikes.

+2 Flame-Infused Scimitar
Grade: Rare
Attribute 1, Fire: When you attack with this scimitar, it deals an additional 1D6 fire damage.

Attribute 2, Dexterity: This weapon belongs to the Sand People's special weapon category. It is very lightweight and is considered a dexterity weapon.

There were more than a dozen similar scimitars and spears, with a rather strange style. Dupont showed them to the Baron, who shook his head: "These are not standard weapons of Harua. We don't have any Sand People here. I guess this Blue Dragon went out to other deserts and robbed them."

However, DuPont was quite surprised when he found another greatsword.

+3 Greatsword: Dawn Grade: Super Rare

Attribute 1, Lightbringer: Each attack deals 1-6 points of Radiant damage.

Attribute 2, Extraordinary Strength: When your strength is below 24 points, your strength will be 24 points.

Attribute 3, Exorcising Evil: When attacking evil creatures, it adds 1-6 points of good damage.

Attribute 4, Shimmer: When needed, this sword can emit a magical glow within a 10-yard radius, similar to the effect of Flash.

Attribute 5, Friend of Light: When the wielder is a paladin, this sword is considered a +4 greatsword, with the potential to be upgraded further.

Note: This greatsword, bearing the mark of Losanda, is well-preserved and clearly has been carefully protected even in the hands of the blue dragon, making it one of its prized trophies.

When DuPont took out the sword, the Baron's expression changed drastically: "This is..."

Hearing the tone of the other person's voice, DuPont immediately understood: "My mother's belongings?"

"Yes, it was also badly damaged in our final battle. We didn't continue the pursuit to protect your mother, but unfortunately, her injuries were too severe, and the sword disappeared without a trace."

The baron sighed, his face darkening. "The Church of the Dawn Lord has sent many paladins to this desert for this sword, but they have come up empty-handed. I am ashamed to face your mother's comrades because of this. Sure enough, it is in this guy's hands."

DuPont held the sword in his hand, and for some reason, he felt a strange sense of comfort with it. Although it wasn't as strong as his own adamantite greatsword against normal enemies, it would be incredibly useful against evil ones: "Should we return this sword?"

"Return it my ass! Your mother earned it through her own merits, and she donated most of her bounty to the church. Even after she died, those bastards took all her equipment. In the end, only her clothes were found in the tomb, and we even had to pay for her funeral. They only sent a priest to chant sutras. Why should they return this sword?"

The baron's tone was unpleasant, clearly indicating that he had a bad memory with the Church of Los Santos: "You are our child, so of course we can use you ourselves. From now on, cover the mark of Los Santos with bandages, so that even if they find out, they will not admit it."

DuPont chuckled upon hearing this, admitting that the baron's style of doing things was somewhat similar to his own. If it weren't for the awkwardness of their seniority, they would be quite good as buddies: "Alright, then I'll accept it. Let me take another look... Why aren't there many gold coins here? Could it have another lair?"

"That's for sure. This guy doesn't usually show up in the mage tower, so he's probably out there. I do remember his lair, but it's quite dangerous to go there. After all, blue dragons might have family-style lairs, and it would be quite dangerous to fight on their home turf if there were other blue dragons there."

DuPont suddenly remembered something: "Wait, this guy disguised himself as one of us and dared to kill the mages stationed by the council. Shouldn't we ask the council for help?"

"Request for help?" The baron was taken aback. "It's possible, but the approval process is very complicated. There's also a rumor that these bandits have connections in Nas City. If we report it, not only will we have to wait a long time, but by the time they arrive, a lot of the treasure will probably be taken away. It's better for us to find a few trustworthy people ourselves."

“It’s alright, I can easily find this backer.” DuPont took out the communication gem: “My mentor is an archmage, she’s fair and fair and is considered one of us. Just ask her for a teleportation spell and I’ll be there.”

“That’s acceptable.” The baron nodded after hearing this. Unlike the communal meals in the academy, the relationship between mage apprentices and their mentors was much closer.

While some unethical individuals may exploit this relationship to sexually harass students and engage in despicable acts like power-for-sex transactions, the bond between teacher and student can be even stronger than that between a teacher and student's own flesh and blood if the student truly gains the teacher's favor.

“An excellent apprentice is not just a disciple, but also an heir who can pass on one’s wisdom and carry forward one’s style. Sons are too random, raising them is troublesome and laborious, and they may not even become successful. It’s better to donate everything to the academy than to entrust everything to them. After all, the academy will definitely reserve a place for you in the roster.”

A message from a high-ranking monk.

While not many people are as carefree as this, mages are indeed the profession that least values ​​blood ties. Of course, some people will marry multiple wives and have many children. If one is not easy to succeed, they will have ten, eight, or even more children, and they will always find one who is not bad.

However, the Baron was thinking about something else. He looked at the moon elf who was busy over there and asked, "Is your mentor male or female?"

"A woman. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." The baron thought for a moment and swallowed his words. This kid was much smarter than him, and some things were not appropriate to say. After thinking for a while, he said tactfully, "It's just that you and this moon elf are engaged. Has your mentor given your consent?"

“This engagement is fake. I’m just a shield.” DuPont waved his hand and whispered about what had happened between the two of them: “That’s how it is. We basically each have our own needs. The royal family has probably already arranged a marriage. They’re just using this as an excuse not to go back.”

The baron blinked after hearing this and muttered, "According to what you've said, this princess is young, beautiful, and powerful. It won't be easy for her to be a shield."

"It doesn't matter. If someone really picks a fight, we'll just beat them up. It's a great thing that someone is paying us to practice our moves."

The baron thought to himself that this boy was indeed too young, but even if he spoke to a boy this age, he probably wouldn't listen. He thought for a moment and took out a sharp knife: "Forget it, let's skin it and bleed it. This dragon is a treasure from head to toe. Its belly skin, dragon teeth, dragon bones and dragon tendons are all worth a lot of money. I estimate it can sell for ten thousand gold coins."

Hearing this, DuPont's eyes lit up: "By the way, Dragon Heart is also quite valuable, isn't it?"

"To take it down, I shot several armor-piercing arrows into its heart. They're probably not in great condition, but they're definitely valuable." He tossed over a pair of leather gloves. "You've got a lot of charm, kid. Be careful, or you might get tainted by this dragon's bloodline."

"Huh?" DuPont, remembering his father's expertise, took out the can of red dragon blood from before: "Well, I encountered something like this before."

He briefly described the scene, which resembled a bloody battle. The baron was stunned. No wonder his child's strength had improved so quickly. The child's experience in the past eight years was almost more than his own experience in the past few decades.

However, after thinking for a moment, he shook his head: "The scene you described doesn't make sense. Hell and the Abyss share a layer called Aphonas. There's no place like that except for Hell's territory, where you can build a fortress. And the enemy you mentioned isn't just demons. Your mentor also fought a red dragon, which means he was facing Lady Tiamat, who is a neutral party that leans slightly towards the demons. Why would your mentor provoke her or join the demons' side?"

After hearing this, DuPont used his religious knowledge to think about it and found that, as the Baron said, this was simply not true: "Hey, where is that?"

"I guess your mentor is conquering some new plane, but that's not important." The baron said, cutting open the blue dragon's waist and abdomen with his dagger, separating the massive belly bit by bit. "You should control your emotions now, otherwise it'll be fine if you really become a dragon vein sorcerer, but if you become a half-dragon, that won't be so good. At that time, let alone awakening human talents, I'm afraid you won't even be able to keep your face."

"Human talent?" DuPont had heard this term more than once: "What will we gain then?"

"All attributes increased by one, didn't your mentor tell you that?" The baron was a little puzzled. "If there wasn't this guarantee, how could I dare to bet on letting you become a mage apprentice? Otherwise, wouldn't that ten thousand gold be wasted?"

“That’s a loss we really can’t afford.” DuPont put away his spatial bag and began pulling the blue dragon’s teeth: “Girls, come and get to work!”

(End of this chapter)