Mages, Adventurers, and Women

"I heard that someone was arrested by the Inquisition after running naked after returning from the Forest of Monsters. I was worried that you would keep your word. Fortunately, you didn't."

Charlotte said nonchalantly, "There are plenty of orcs and barbarians who want to sleep with me, why should I show them off for free?"

For the sake of the two magic crystals, Li Wei didn't argue.

Charlotte then revealed her purpose, saying, "Li Wei, thank you for selling me the corpse of the Sky Eagle."

"Once the Adventurers' Guild event starts, Warrior's Glory is absolutely confident in taking down Gobi, who is ranked third. My visit to you is also related to this matter. I heard from some guys at the ball that... someone wants to team up against you at the magic-based professions' exchange meeting."

"It seems to be related to a person named Frey. The guy who wants to form an alliance has supporters who are at odds with Frey, mainly the Duchy of Mad Sand."

Li Wei asked in surprise, "Aren't they afraid of death? Don't they know what I did in the Monster Forest?"

Charlotte shrugged:

“We know, and we also know that you blew up an underground ancient city. That’s why we plan to unite against you instead of going it alone.”

"There are only three spots available at the French professionals' exchange meeting. If you don't show up, the three countries will split the spots; if you do show up, someone will be eliminated. Nobody wants to be a loser..."

Levi suspected that Frey was just a front for the alliance; the real reason he wanted to grab a spot was to steal one.

The top three in the Mage Exchange Conference will have the opportunity to participate in the assessment at the Sky Island Mage and Priest Academy.

He will make a brief stop on Sky Island, where the magic academy, which possesses the most comprehensive knowledge of elements and spells, would be a good place to settle down.

No matter what, no matter who it is, nothing can stop Li Wei from attending the French professionals' exchange meeting.

"Charlotte, thank you for the news. I'll treat you to dinner another day."

Charlotte laughed and cursed, "Pah, your 'another day' is just as untrustworthy as the orcs' 'I'll take responsibility'."

……

Moonlight streamed down.

The ball reached its climax.

Marquis Michel invited the court musicians to play a piece called "Caesar," which in the ancient language of the Lionheart Kingdom means "reunion."

It was a tune played by a woman named "Kra" before her husband went to war during the Lionheart Kingdom's conquest.

As time went by, it gradually became a favorite tune at the noble balls and banquets of Golden Island. Its soothing melody is perfect for quiet conversations.

As the real ball began, Li Wei saw several acquaintances arriving one after another.

The man with the small voice who had hosted his duel with "Silver Sword Freys" in the arena was now in charge of hosting this ball. Noticing Levi's gaze, he immediately returned a friendly nod.

When Livy killed Frostis, he displayed "fearlessness," and Langdu, whose image was captured by the court painter, was also present.

He sat behind a drawing board, his face tense as he made corrections.

Li Wei, with his discerning eye, saw that this old fellow was trying to ride on his coattails again.

The painting depicts the leisurely Yulia squad.

Bones and the dwarf stood by the shield, their eyes vacant. Yulia and Sylvie each leaned on one side of Levi's shoulder, lost in their own thoughts. Levi, with a gentle smile, stood ready to "guard" the area.

In Langdu's painting, Yulia's squad, besides being relaxed, also exudes an extremely strong sense of confidence.

The ball was drawing to a close.

Charlotte gave Levi two white magic crystals as a reward.

I reminded Li Wei again to be very careful at the legal professionals' exchange meeting.

As they walked out of Marquis Michel's castle, the dwarf mumbled:

“I used to envy the life of the aristocracy, but seeing their hypocrisy at the ball tonight, I suddenly realized that the life of the aristocracy isn’t so great after all—look at those gentlemen, their eyes are practically shoving into their dance partners’ chests, yet they still pretend not to be interested. Aren’t they tired?”

The skeleton, unlike the dwarf, dreamed, "Li Wei, do you think we'll one day become nobles on the Grand Continent because of our great strength?"

"I don't know if it will happen, but I know that if you keep asking me these meaningless and boring fantasies, I'll stuff you into the sole of a dwarf's shoe and use you as raw material for his amusement."

……

back home.

Li Wei recalled that President Langxis said the Magic Crystal mission was simple, and after experiencing it once, he found it to be indeed very simple.

Yulia and Sylvie went straight to the third floor.

On the second floor, the dim, yellowish ambient lights swayed precariously.

Li Wei saw Samantha wearing a bright red evening gown, and somehow acquired an alchemical artifact—a music box that was playing on a loop, currently playing "Caesar." She was heavily made up and exceptionally alluring, and invited him:

"Li Wei, I have never danced with anyone before."

"Will you dance with me?"

Li Wei frowned and walked over, saying, "You really haven't been attending court etiquette classes lately?"

Samantha awkwardly wrapped her arms around Levi's waist, recalling how others danced, and swayed her arms with Levi clumsily, swinging slowly back and forth.

The bright moonlight outside the window pierced into the room, and the croaking of frogs and chirping of insects rose and fell at the base of the wall, vying to provide accompaniment for the "reunion".

"Samantha, something's wrong with you."

Li Wei stopped his clumsy dance steps and said seriously:

Tell me, what exactly do you want?

Samantha said casually, "I just want to dance with you."

"And then what?"

Samantha looked at the music box and said softly, "It says that it's shameful for me to sleep with you—I once heard Julia talk about how hearing a strange object speak means you have to leave. I think... I should leave too?"

Samantha mistakenly believed that "leaving" meant death; she did not know that it was a sign of being summoned to the secret world.

Following Samantha's gaze, Li Wei looked at the music box, about the size of a palm, entirely black, with alchemical devices hidden in its four corners. He repeated:

"You heard the music box talking?!"

Samantha nodded slowly: "I heard it this afternoon."

"what?!"

The call of the secret world!

Li Wei instantly thought of Fina.

Without a second thought, he took off his storage ring and, while putting it on Samantha, instructed her:

"I just erased the mental imprint from my storage ring. It contained the gold coins I exchanged. Listen, Samantha, in a bit... in a bit..."

Li Wei stood frozen in mid-air, holding the storage ring, when the person in front of him vanished.

This moment.

Melanie's feelings when she said goodbye to Fina not long ago were completely different from Fina's sudden disappearance.

Li Wei walked silently to the window, feeling troubled.

Hearing the frogs croaking outside the window, he snapped, "Shut up!"

Why would the Secret World summon Samantha, who is not an elemental being?

Was it Willow's doing?

No, that doesn't seem right.

Samantha disappeared too quickly...

Before Fina was taken into the secret world by Willow, several days passed between when she overheard the necromancers talking in the corner and when she disappeared.

Samantha heard it in the afternoon.

Her prelude to entering the secret world was very similar to Yulia's experience of being summoned to the secret world.

"Samantha left?"

Julia appeared beside Li Wei at some point, intertwined her fingers with his drooping hand, and stood beside him, speaking softly:

"I just sensed a familiar fluctuation, the same feeling I had when you deconstructed the dark magic stone tablet. Did the secret world summon Samantha?"

"Ah."

Li Wei gazed into the distance, trying to figure out why Samantha had been summoned by the Secret World.

“Li Wei, there’s a saying in my hometown: ‘If you leave the secret world, you will eventually meet it again.’”

“I think that as long as we don’t stop our adventures, we will one day reunite with Samantha—just like the music of the 'Caesar' song.”

Julia comforted him, saying that she understood Levi and knew that Samantha held a different place in his heart than other lovers, just like Elda.

Yulia's team has come this far thanks in large part to Samantha's great help.

After careful consideration, Li Wei realized that Samantha leaving the secret world was a good thing for her.

Yulia's squad is about to leave Golden Island.

Samantha's mother has taken up a position at the Adventurers' Guild in the Duchy of the Sands.

Samantha lacked the talent of a professional; she only knew the trivial matters of the Adventurers' Guild.

She lived on Golden Island, but that was all.

When Fina chose to leave Willow's study in the Secret World, Willow said that those who leave the Secret World will go to the place most suitable for them.

"Samantha must have gone to the place that suits her best, right?"

Before that, Li Wei needs to confirm one thing.

Did Samantha's departure have anything to do with Willow?

As Yulia gazed at the moonlight, she reminisced about her time with Samantha, who was Levi's lover and also a friend in Yulia's heart.

Recalling her bewildered state upon first arriving in Rolling Stone through the Secret World, he couldn't help but feel worried for Samantha, and said with a touch of sadness:

"The moonlight just now symbolized reunion; now it symbolizes parting."

Li Wei touched Yulia's buttocks and said, putting himself in her shoes:

"Want to come once?"

"To comfort our similar feelings of distress."

……

……