Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

It seems Mr. Dragon has tacitly agreed that Shiba Inu killed the sheriff. Indeed, without any leads, the investigation will continue. Based on the balance of power, Mr. Dragon's assumption that all the sheriffs were wiped out is indeed the most realistic. However, he certainly didn't expect that he would tame Shiba Inu using the methods he taught him.

"This is a bit of a problem. Looks like we'll have to start preparing to move the Shiba Inu."

"Is there still enough time?" Perhaps a church team has already gone there if the church is proactive enough in seeking help from its future believers.

"It's alright. Let's not even talk about whether they can find it smoothly or whether they can defeat it. That's my creation. I enhanced its survivability when I designed it."

Physically immune, it can become invisible and blend into the terrain.

“Ariane, do you have a way to contact the church? Share the information with them. If all else fails, don’t send them to their deaths.”

“Your Majesty Raymond, our current state is practically apostasy. There is no possibility of communicating with the Church. If we suddenly appear, it is almost inevitable that the Church will turn against us and judge us immediately.”

"Hmm...this is difficult."

Is it really okay for you to plot so openly? Lyle questioned this.

The others seemed completely unfazed by this, as if Andrei had no traitors, since he himself appeared to be someone who would never be forgiven.

"Once the ritual materials are ready, I will contact my friends at the Magic Research Institute. We can arrange a time for the Plague Doctor, as the ritual will take quite a while, and the post-operative aftereffects will likely require some rest."

Take a break while he's injured. If Ralph really uses that lame excuse to take a break, no, given that man's character, it will probably be that excuse. Only in this way can he stop me from continuing to participate in dangerous work. There's probably even the implication of being grounded. As for the possibility of my nephew becoming a laughing stock, is that more important than my life?

Lyle nodded to the gentleman, indicating that he would arrange a time soon.

"Plague Doctor, I've examined these plants you've gathered. Some of them can be used as your spellcasting materials. I'll replace the rest with equivalent materials you'll be using later. However, your gathering skills are a bit rough; you'll need to work on them in the future. Or perhaps you could visit some members of the Friends of Nature; they won't refuse your request for guidance if you have the time." Mr. Dragon seemed to be considering Lyle as his last disciple.

“Yes, sir, and this too, is this what you called, that, strange wood?” Lyle pulled the howling wood from his leather pouch. The wood, quite appropriately, began to howl.

The hazy, humanoid smoke drifted out and moved among the people around it.

There was none of the heart-pounding fear that Lyle had initially imagined.

silence.

The gentleman remained calm.

The dragon looked on with a hint of joy.

Ariana glanced at it idly.

Ariane seemed to feel disgust.

Lyle was prepared and did not react.

Raymond, that was a huge ball of light.

As it howled, the wood stopped howling, and the mist settled on top of it, its face turned toward Lyle, as if it remembered him.

What's this? Bullying the weak and fearing the strong?

"This is Cursed Spirit Wood, Plague Doctor. You're very lucky. This is a rare wood, and it's a material that's quite compatible with spirit summoning. It has a strong aura of death within it, so it will make a good staff."

"Moreover, he is also very helpful to ourselves."

"for example?"

"If you make a coffin out of cursed wood, the person inside will sit up and greet you in less than three days."

Genuine necromancy materials.

"Indeed, you are a good fit, the plague doctor, and so is this block of wood. This is your destiny."

Purify!

Mr. Raymond slammed his hand on the table, blinding Lyle with the light, and through the glare, he could vaguely hear a truly desperate wail.

Wait for vision to return.

Lying in front of him was a piece of wood resembling a birch branch, with some gold-like patterns flowing across its cross-section; the original cursed wood was nowhere to be seen.

"Do you see this abundant holy energy? Plague Doctor, you are a person of the Holy Light!"

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Dragon Staff

The piece of sacred wood placed before them looked like an ordinary piece of wood. If it were placed in a market, it probably wouldn't attract much attention. However, in this magnificent and extravagant place, where gold and jewels were the main decorations, the ordinary became extraordinary.

Mr. Dragon slammed his fist heavily on the table. "Raymond, even if you spread rumors and make trouble, I can barely tolerate it. But how could you joke about the future of the Plague Doctor? Cursed Spirit Wood is the most suitable material for Spirit Summoning Apprentices. Now, you've twisted it. How is the Plague Doctor supposed to cast spells with this piece of wood that emits light just by being waved?"

“Why not just let the Plague Doctor try it? Let the facts speak for themselves.” Raymond pointed. “He is a pure soul, and his magic will not be rejected by the Holy Light. Plague Doctor, imagine your power flowing through this, just like I am doing.”

Mr. Raymond placed his hand on the wood, which gradually lit up. The light spots shone through the wood and condensed into visible light on the surface, like a regular data network with photons moving around on it.

"This training method is much more effective than simply meditating."

Mr. Raymond shared his valuable insights.

Lyle nodded and, at the others' prompting, touched the piece of wood.

Warmth, like sunshine on your body.

The magic flowed along the cross-section, as if it had found a small hole, seeped in, and like water flowing into a river, it twisted together and sprayed out golden magic from the other end.

Is that the holy light?

“It just dyed your magic a little color to make it look nice,” Raymond examined the other side. “I didn’t expect that such guidance wouldn’t replace the magic in your body with holy light.”

"Raymond has completely analyzed the magical structure of this piece of wood. It can spontaneously allow your magic to condense rapidly, accelerating spellcasting. Since the nature of your magic hasn't changed, as he said, this is indeed an excellent stave material. Although Raymond's intentions are impure, it is indeed beneficial to you, Plague Healer," Mr. Dragon said slowly. He had originally planned to use his own bone material as compensation for Lyle if the experiment failed. He breathed a sigh of relief at the success of the experiment, but what was the lingering regret in his heart?

Mr. Dragon maintained his dignified demeanor. "Plague Doctor, have you decided on the design of your staff? As I mentioned before, I have a bit of a hobby when it comes to carving."

Lyle looked down and pondered for a moment, but couldn't come up with anything.

"I don't have any particular ideas, as long as it's not too exaggerated."

“Then let’s use the style of the caduceus. I remember you’re a doctor.”

The caduceus, a wooden staff adorned with a coiled snake, represents the profession of physician. Asclepius, the ancient Greek god of medicine, is depicted holding a giant serpent, and the constellation Ophiuchus also exists in the celestial sphere. Given the Western tradition of associating snakes with medicine, the choice of the caduceus is understandable.

Lyle had a bold idea: what if this staff represented himself?

"Yes, but sir, could you please replace the serpent carving with a dragon?"

"Is it a dragon? If so, that's one of my specialties."

"No, the dragon I'm talking about is an ancient totem from the Far East. It has deer antlers, cow ears, a camel's head, rabbit eyes, a snake's body, fish scales, and eagle claws."

Are there any other such amazing creatures in the world?

"Perhaps there are. I read about it in an Arab document, about a mysterious land of silk and gold." There really might be dragons in this world, after all, there are giant dragons.

"Chimera?" Ariana asked curiously. A chimera is a monster from Western folklore, with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a scorpion. It also has the connotation of a composite monster.

“If the dragon is really as the Plague Doctor says, then I’m afraid I’m not up to the honor of carving it,” Mr. Dragon said, looking at Lyle. “I have never seen such a creature with my own eyes. I can imagine the magnificence of a dragon, but I’m afraid I can’t do what the Plague Doctor wants, to combine the known animal images together. I find it hard to achieve that kind of fusion beauty.”

Lyle felt he had put the dragon in a difficult position, since his own wish had caused the dragon to go to such lengths. "It's alright, sir. I'm the one who should apologize for my absurd idea. The serpent staff will suffice."

Lyle reached out and pushed the Holy Spirit Wood toward Mr. Dragon, but Ariana stopped him. Her veil was facing Lyle, and she was wearing a pure white evening gown, light and fluffy like a wedding dress.

"I'm very curious about what a dragon looks like."

“If Ariana is curious, I can describe it in more detail.”

"No, I want to see it with my own eyes, to see what a dragon looks like."

Ariana seemed to want to see the staff carved with dragons.

“But Mr. Dragon has also said that it is difficult.” It is difficult to find a suitable sculptor to carve a dragon based on Lyle’s pale description. That would require an extremely skilled sculptor.

“Ariana meant that the plague doctor could entrust this task to Ms. Helena,” the gentleman explained. “Ms. Helena is also an expert in sculpture.”

"Who is Helena?" Yet another new name.

“My sister,” Ariana placed the piece of wood in front of her, as if gazing at a finished carving, “Helen is the perfect sister.”

"If possible, that would be even better."

“It can definitely be done.” Ariana, holding the piece of wood, stood up, gave a curtsy, and left the department room alone, she was a little impatient.

Like opening a breach, Ariane then took her leave, taking the oblivious Mr. Raymond with her as she went.

Mr. Dragon then returned to his room, expressing his satisfaction with Lyle's studies once again before leaving, and reminding him to pay attention to his learning progress.

Lyle looked at the gentleman, who was checking the cutlery—untouched teacups and forks that were simply laid out, though Lyle had never seen them eat before.

The gentleman noticed Lyle's gaze. "Is there anything you wish to ask, Plague Doctor?"

“Yes, sir, regarding the awakening ritual…”

"Don't worry, you've collected all the materials very well. I've arranged everything at the Magic Research Institute, so there won't be any major problems. After the ceremony and once you've recovered, we can have a good chat together and I can take you to other clubs or the City of Wanderings. I'm really not a very good senior, since I'm the one who brought you in."

"No, I am grateful. The gentleman brought me into the Cup of Extravagance. Mr. Dragon and Ariana are both outstanding people. Sometimes I wonder if I am worthy to stay in the Cup of Extravagance."

“Of course you can, Mr. Dragon, I praise you. Ariana has a new curiosity, and you have done a great job of reconciling everyone. You know, this used to be my job, but you have become a part of this place, Mr. Plague Doctor. Moreover, after the Awakening Ceremony, I also believe that you will truly find what you are looking for.”

Chapter Forty: The Value of Olius

As the morning dew evaporated in the sunlight, Lyle knocked on the door of Bory Manor. The lame gatekeeper seemed impatient, but still maintained basic politeness, confirming Lyle's purpose and telling him to wait outside.

Because of Ralph's sick leave, Lyle lost his chance to work, and took advantage of the free time to make some preparations.

My savings are almost gone.

With only three Aulivos given to him by Mr. Dragon in his pocket, Lyle planned to exchange them for some Jules. Therefore, he thought of his only publicly known noble friend, Kevin Borre. Aulivos, representing Roman glory, were excellent collectibles and ornaments, favored by nobles and practically synonymous with their own nobility. Lyle trusted Kevin to offer a suitable price, and even if Kevin had no need for them, he wouldn't mind introducing Lyle to a good buyer.

Before long, the gates of Borui Manor were officially opened. They were the size of a small city gate, large enough for two horses to enter side by side.

Kevin, whom I knew well, sat on a large brown horse, wearing a dark green leather coat, with his long, golden hair styled in a small ponytail.

Kevin saw Lyle at his feet, smiled at him, and gracefully dismounted, showing no sign of the fact that he had said three months ago that he couldn't ride a horse.

Behind him, a man in chainmail rode a horse with arrows and a hunting bow in the saddlebags. He sat on the horse, looking over arrogantly because of the limited view.

That was a knight from the Borei family, and his behavior was not disrespectful in any way. Nobles have a custom of traveling on horseback and never dismounting midway. They believe that stopping outside their destination signifies a setback and change in the journey. Therefore, when nobles encounter roadblocks while riding, they generally choose to detour or ram through them, whenever they deem it possible.

Kevin is an exception. His act of dismounting as soon as he steps out the door is criticized, but he doesn't care because there are generally no people of higher status than him around him. His reason is also very real: looking down at people hurts his neck.

"Haha, crime buster, did you deduce that I was going hunting and that's why you came to ask me to go with you?" It seems Kevin already knows about his job as a sheriff.

Hunting was popular in the Middle Ages, and nobles and lords were very enthusiastic about it. It was a good opportunity to maintain their fighting spirit and display their military strength. The game and rare furs from the hunt were also highly sought after. Gradually, hunting became a social activity among the upper class. As a nobleman, you didn't have to be politically naive or particular about etiquette; as long as you were good with a bow, you would still have admirers. The best season for hunting was late autumn, but it could occasionally be done in summer, although the game would be much scarcer due to dense vegetation and less plump prey.