Published at 16th of February 2024 2:24 pm

Chapter 50. Adept Is Only The Beginning

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Dean Oleg was right. Nox had an invitation waiting for him to the Grand Singh Ball in two weeks. The family picked the Round Table as the venue, of course. The invite insisted on formal attire, no guests or samples. As Nox reread the printed card, he wondered whether all invitees had restrictions regarding dates.

Allen had arranged all of Nox’s correspondence by date and time of delivery. The letter directly below it amused him. It had come from Swati. She wanted him as her date for the Singh’s bi-annual event. If Nox agreed, he would also have to spend a day with her. She wanted her date to wear color-coordinated outfits to the ball, which meant a day of shopping and grooming.

The woman amused Nox. He still wasn’t sure what to think of Swati. She and the Singhs felt like separate entities and unaffiliated in the sabotage nonsense. She was yet to reveal her reason for leaving Harin’s party, too. The pair appeared on good terms, filling Nox with doubt. Harin made opportunities for Swati to get her romantic target alone and flirt with him. However, he also prevented her from introducing Nox to several individuals during the last party. Not all was good under the surface. However, that didn’t mean Swati would shift loyalties to favor a potential new beau.

Whatever Nox did, he needed to approach the situation with tact and care. He had a rough idea of how he wanted to proceed but needed more information first. For the time being, he kept his cards close to his chest, especially around the staff. The likelihood of there being a mole among them was high. He felt bad about his suspicions, but Kishan felt like the most likely candidate because of the Singh’s preference for their ‘own.’ However, he considered everyone a suspect for the time being.

The Tanners and Stones were refugees and had no prior connections in the city. However, Terrastalia and the myconid plague had left them destitute. A large enough payoff could tempt them into betraying the business. Meanwhile, Kishan and Aisha were suspects because Professor Das’ assistant had played a role in their hiring and also had their information. He could’ve put either apprentice in contact with the Singhs. Kishan had also worked for several alchemists around the city. The saboteurs could be any one of them, if not multiple parties. Hilda had never worked for an alchemist before, but she had contacts in the city. She felt the least suspicious, but Nox also kept an eye on her.

The research workshop and office doors always remained locked unless Nox was on the shopfloor or in the basement. Nox took extra precautions, spread out the documents, and secured them in several layers of wards and locks in varying locations.

After ensuring the apprentices didn’t need him and mailing paperwork for increased deliveries, Nox focused on ascending. He already had plans for his upgraded spellform. It wasn’t a big change from the latest design. The runic loops creating the vortices responsible for filtering mana received a storage script. Nox believed he could add more to the script but didn’t feel the need for more. The spell felt potent enough in its current form. He hoped the new version would make Crystalize Essence self-sufficient and a potent defensive spell.

Nox used several essence glass cubes and mana gems as his catalysts. Fire, frost, lightning, void, life, venom, and several others found spots in the magic circles designed to focus his magic and mind. He sat in the middle, cleared his head, and circulated mana, gradually pushing his star to increase its rotations per heartbeat. The mana cloud surrounding it also spun faster as the centripetal force slowly pulled it inward.

The star’s outer crust resisted the new energy at first. The mana attuned to his spellscript treated the cloud as an intrusive alien existence and refused to let it in. The system’s centerpiece gradually spun faster, and the attractive force grew more potent. It slowly pulled the cloud through the crust, and the star swelled. Nox had enough practice to prevent ejection and forced the new script into place, locking in the extra mana and giving it purpose.

A wave of vitality washed over Nox. He felt his mind grow clearer and sharper, and energy pulsed through his mana circuits. In addition, Nox’s awareness of his mana zone improved, too. He felt every square inch of it for a moment as the area grew.

“By Yggdrasil! Three feet!”

It was almost as big a mana zone as an average apprentice’s. Most would consider it paltry, but he could barely cast touch spells ten months prior. Nox would finally get to make decent use of Mage Hand and conjure defensive fields further from his maximum reach.

Now, Nox needed to solve the problem of what to do for his next planet. Thanks to essence glass, Finesse Shaping, and Live Spell Weaving, Nox was as powerful as a mana cannon. In fact, his attacks were too strong, and he needed to hold back to avoid accidentally hurting his friends. His skills granted him a variety of debilitating and utility magic, too. Nox only required to learn new spellscripts to expand his arsenal, and Artisans’ Library made the feat ridiculously easy.

Improving defense or mobility felt like the next best move. Crystallize Essence already took care of arcane attacks. Now, Nox desired the ability to defend against physical attacks too effectively. Slow somewhat got the job done, but it didn't feel like enough. He could, of course, create a barrier out of essence glass, but the tactic was neither potent nor cost-effective. Producing large quantities and then Shaping it demanded far too much mana. Meanwhile, improving mobility was easier said than done. Learning a new spell or developing a planet wouldn't be enough. The spells demanded balance, dexterity, and months I'd not years of practice.

So, Nox settled on improving his defense. He could either dedicate a planet to a new branch of magic, a spell unrelated to his star or create one for summoning. The latter, though more potent than the other options, came with a slew of challenges. Nox didn't just need to find a suitable spirit but also convince it to ally with him.

Otis lacked the constitution for the job. His physiology had changed to match his dreamscape form, but he was smaller in the material world. The new limbs had improved his speed and agility. He had greater strength and intelligence, too. However, Nox doubted the spirit could survive a hit. Since Nox hadn't bonded a fragment of Otis to a planet, the spirit could perish, too.

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Only Bi Xi could serve the necessary purpose. As a tortoise, Nox was sure his material body would have the necessary durability to act as Nox’s shield. He refused to create a familiar or summoning planet until Bi Xi lowered his defenses and welcomed a friendship. Otherwise, it would be a wasted effort. If a relationship did work out, Nox expected great benefits and results for all parties. So, he resisted the lure of planet formation for the time being.

The following morning, urgent knocking stirred Nox. He woke feeling sharper and more energized than ever before. It felt like his mana system was overflowing. The star had maintained its increased rotational velocity, and a new cloud revolved around it, waiting to be condensed into a planet. He jumped out of bed, half-dressed, and answered the door, hoping Aria had come by to surprise him. Nox believed she would especially enjoy the improved stamina and willpower that accompanied every ascension. Much to his disappointment, it was Jess.

“Alex is here for you, Ser Ratra. I told her it was too early, but she insisted that you'd want to hear what she had to say.

“I probably do,” Nox said. “Why don't you arrange some food for us—and anyone Alex brought along? I'll be done in a moment.”

After relieving himself and dressing all the way, Nox pocketed a few gold coins and excitedly descended the stairs.

Several mages reported a couple of days of euphoria following an ascension. Nox hadn't felt anything of the kind when going from Novice to Apprentice and Apprentice to Journeyman. However, that wasn't the case for the newest upgrade. He found himself skipping through the apartment, humming a cheerful tune, and feeling better about himself than he had in a long time.

Lillin shot him a knowing look when he passed her. The mimic-woman sat at the dining table preparing for the upcoming exams. Nox needed to do the same, but the business kept him occupied.

The gang leader and Nox sat down to talk in the shop’s treatment room over a cup of tea. He locked the door and activated the silence wards on the walls. He had them installed for his patients’ privacy but hadn’t found the opportunity to utilize them yet. Only a couple of days had passed since the last time he saw her, but her scar looked significantly better. Instead of an angry red crack, pale white lines cut across Alex’s face. It looked shallower, too. Nox hadn't just given the teenager healing pills but also had Michelle do her magic to reduce scarring.

“What do you have for me?” Nox asked.

Alex flattened a large piece of crumpled parchment and placed it on the table between them. It contained a detailed, annotated drawing of a vivisected myconid. Research notes, formulae, and a spellscript followed.

“The Singhs seem to incinerate all of their waste paper,” Alex said. “My newest friend on the inside liberated these before the apprentices could dispose of them. Are they of any use?”

“It confirms my hypothesis,” Nox grumbled, as the documents killed his good mood. “While I've been busy running my business and helping the city, these bastards pulled ahead of me. They've had breakthroughs I've been hoping to achieve for months.”

“I'm assuming that's a bad thing. My informants tell me that the uncle runs the laboratory, but the family works as a unit in their schemes and plots. The young master and his father have been dealing with acquisitions. They bribed the cleaners outside the walls and snuck mushroom-people corpses into Market Ring.”

“I'm sure you've seen a female friend of his visit the shop with him. She—”

“The one who picked you up in a carriage one time?” Alex asked.

Nox nodded. “Have your sources seen her, or do they know whether she is involved in any of this?”

“She occasionally visits the Singhs' home with an older man—probably a father or uncle. I'm told she's at odds with the young master. They argue a fair bit, but they couldn't tell me about what.”

“Good job, Alex. This is precisely the information I needed.” He handed her a small pile of gold coins. “Pay your informants whatever you promised. Use the rest however you see fit.”

Alex's eyes widened. She reached for the money but hesitated. The gang leader almost behaved as if someone had placed a hot bowl in front of her. An internal debate of whether to satisfy her hunger or burn the roof of her mouth had left her in a loop of indecisiveness.

“It's too much,” she said. “I can't take this.”

“Of course, you can. I asked you for a service, and you performed it beyond expectations. So, I'm giving you an appropriate reward.”

“You don't understand, Ser—I mean, Sir Ratra. This isn't a gift. It's a burden. Someone outside the gang will eventually find out about how much money I have or had, and then the bigger gangs will come after me. First, they'll try to take the gold by whatever means necessary, then torture me or the little ones to discover its origin. Then they'll target you and your people. I can't take all of this.”

“Then take what you need, and I'll hold on to the rest for you,” Nox said. “When you want more, I'll hand it over or have one of my staff purchase whatever you need.”

Alex hesitated, staring at the pile of ten gold for seemingly an eternity. After several minutes of silence, she lifted five coins off the top. Then she put two back before changing her mind and taking another.

“Were you serious about the apprenticeship, Sir Ratra?” Alex asked, still staring at the money. “Could you really teach me to be a mage?”

Nox nodded. “You'll need to improve your reading and writing before I can teach you runes. A smart young woman like you won't have much trouble grasping them. Or if you have a good enough memory, we can also start testing your aptitude with cantrips. It'll be a slow process riddled with hard work. But if you're willing to work hard, I can teach you to do great things.”

“Does the apprenticeship have a salary?”

“Along with room and board,” Nox stated.

“Your woman—the noble lady you're courting came by yesterday,” Alex said. “She spoke to the little ones and our crippled for hours and fed us. She says she might be able to take the gang away from the city. Apparently, there is a place for everyone in her father’s land where they can have beds, eat hot meals, and get new clothes. All they have to do is pick fruit, clean stables, or do other little jobs. Is that really true? Her offer isn't a trap?”

Nox shook his head. “Aria is a good woman and might be my wife someday. Her father is an amazing person, too. He doesn't care about status and origins. If the city allows it, and your little ones go to the Edelweiss barony, they'll have a better future than what the city can give them.”

“Okay.” Alex wiped her eyes as she rose. Her tea sat untouched. “Thank you, Sir Ratra. If the city allows it and she takes the gang, I'll be your apprentice. It doesn't matter what job you give me. Big. Small. Dark and twisted. I'll do it.”

“That won't be necessary, Alex,” Nox said, smiling. “I don't ask my legitimate employees to do anything shady or illegal. It's bad for business. You'll be my student, and the tasks will be appropriate for your apprenticeship.”

Nox ensured the young woman ate before they parted ways.

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