Chapter Seventy-Nine: Unsealed

Billy’s mental strength had reached a critical threshold, on the verge of breaking through at any moment. In such matters, Hughes could be of no help—Billy had to rely on himself. Hughes, too, had gradually grown less fond of leaving his room; these days, his greatest interest was simply sitting on the dormitory sofa, sipping coffee and reading alchemical texts.

“Hughes! I’ve come to see you!” Emmy’s voice drifted in from outside the door.

“Why are you here, Senior?” Hughes looked at Emmy, who had reverted to her usual lively self, surprised by her visit.

“Why can’t I come? Isn’t it normal for me to check in on my junior?” Emmy rattled off a stream of words without pause.

“Uh…” For a moment, Hughes didn’t know how to reply, but it did feel like the Emmy he used to know.

Emmy sauntered into Hughes’s room, sat down, and glanced around. Her eyes fell on the coffee and books on the table.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself!” Emmy picked up Hughes’s cup and took a sip of coffee.

“I just came to see how you’re doing!” Emmy said leisurely, cradling the cup.

“Oh,” Hughes replied, settling into a chair to look at her.

“Any news from the professor?” Hughes had been waiting for word of Mage Matt’s return.

“You want to know?” Emmy’s gaze rippled over him like water.

“I’m just curious,” Hughes admitted, unable to meet her eyes.

“I don’t know where the professor went either—he might be gone for a few years,” Emmy said, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger.

“That long?” Hughes hadn’t expected that Mage Matt’s absence would be so prolonged.

“Don’t worry, a full-fledged wizard can live for three hundred years—what’s a few years in comparison?” Emmy said, unconcerned.

“Three hundred years?” Hughes was stunned. He hadn’t realized that becoming a formal wizard would extend one’s lifespan so dramatically.

“Of course! If you learned the professor’s biological modification techniques, you could live five or six hundred years with a little work!” Emmy explained.

“Biological modification?” Hughes was familiar with the theory—it involved modifying one’s body, sometimes to the point of being unrecognizable as human, replacing organs with biological components to prolong life. Hughes couldn’t accept such a path.

“You must have a Vitality Potion,” Emmy said confidently.

“Yes.” Hughes didn’t bother to deny it. Since Emmy asked, she clearly knew.

“Impressive, Junior—you’re more capable than you look!” Emmy exaggerated the word “capable,” teasing him.

“Uh… I was just lucky.” Hughes felt awkward under her praise.

“Relax, I’m not interested in your Vitality Potion. You have the backing of your professor, and I’m sure you know what’s required for advancement to a formal wizard.”

“The professor has indeed told me,” Hughes admitted.

“This time, I came to ask your intentions. You have the Vitality Potion, and with your talent, synchronizing with a Mental Rune is only a matter of time. So, what are your plans for obtaining a First-Tier Defensive Spell Template?” Emmy finally revealed her purpose.

“At the moment, I have no way,” Hughes replied. “First-Tier Defensive Spell Templates are vital knowledge for the Academy. Unless you sign a contract, they won’t be made available.”

“I can provide you with a First-Tier Defensive Spell Template!” Emmy leaned closer.

“And the conditions?” Hughes knew nothing came without a price.

“Of course, you’d need to sign a contract with the Academy. But the terms are only half as strict as those of other academies—it’s a good deal,” Emmy encouraged him.

“Can I see the First-Tier Defensive Spell Template first? Just a glance,” Hughes requested. He didn’t intend to sign a contract; he wanted to use Emmy as an opportunity to see the template.

Time would not be an issue—he had his chip, capable of recording data rapidly. With just one look at the spell template, the chip would have a full set of detailed data, which he could then refine further.

At the very least, the chip could optimize his own version using the template as a reference.

“What, you don’t trust me?” Emmy found his request odd, but didn’t mind. She simply took it as a sign of caution.

“I’m just curious whether there’s a template that suits me best,” Hughes replied, scratching his head, a little embarrassed.

Emmy giggled. “Fine, just a glance—I can arrange that. I’ll be going back now!” She laughed again, thinking Hughes had agreed in a roundabout way, and left in high spirits.

“Oh, and your coffee tastes pretty good!” Emmy said with a wink as she reached the door.

Hughes glanced at his cup; the coffee he’d prepared for himself was already gone.

After seeing Emmy off, Hughes sat on the sofa, pondering their conversation.

Signing a contract was out of the question—he detested being bound. He would never commit himself to the Shadow Ring.

“All I have to do now is wait for Emmy to show me the First-Tier Defensive Spell Template. Once I see it, I’ll have everything I need for advancement,” Hughes thought, eager for the opportunity.

“In that case, I might need to leave the Shadow Ring.” If he managed to advance without signing a contract, the Academy would surely grow suspicious. It was time he found a chance to leave.

“I wonder if there were any conditions in the contract I signed when I first joined,” Hughes suddenly remembered the agreement he’d made before entering the Academy.

“I’d better prepare. Once the chip scans a First-Tier Defensive Spell Template, I’ll seize the first opportunity to leave the Shadow Ring!” Hughes had made up his mind.

Now resolved to leave, Hughes spent more time on the second floor of the library, scanning as much knowledge as possible to ensure he wouldn’t lack resources in the future.

With ample magic stones, he had no worries on that front. By day, he stayed in the library; by night, he returned to his dorm to brew potions.

No word came from Emmy, and Hughes couldn’t reach her, but he wasn’t anxious. Since she’d tried to recruit him, she wouldn’t simply abandon him.

Days passed, and spring arrived as promised. The snow in the Shadow Ring began to melt. The Academy’s stone paths were clear, and the plants once again pushed through the earth—everything brimmed with vitality.

One day, the chains above the Shadow Ring began to collapse, and the Academy gates were opened. Apprentices with tasks surged out in a rush.

Hughes watched without much expression and headed to his usual spot in the library.

“Hey! Hughes!” Billy, now a third-level apprentice, was busy practicing magic and hadn’t taken any assignments.

“What brings you here?” Hughes saw that Billy was visibly different—more confident and spirited than before.

“I came to say goodbye,” Billy said, stepping up to him.

“Oh? You’ve taken on a mission?” Hughes frowned; Billy had just broken through and should have stabilized his progress.

“No, I’m going home for a bit. I can look for some materials you need while I’m there!” Billy explained hastily, seeing Hughes’s concern.

“All right, I understand.” Hughes saw nothing wrong with that; after such a long lockdown, a visit home was reasonable.

Billy said his goodbyes, gathered his things, and left the Shadow Ring.

With the lock lifted and many off on missions, the Shadow Ring quickly emptied out again—a situation that would last until the arrival of new students.

Since her last visit, Emmy hadn’t appeared again, but Hughes wasn’t too anxious. Seeing the First-Tier Defensive Spell Template was only an extra precaution, not a necessity.

As for how long he would stay in the Shadow Ring, Hughes intended it to be no more than a year. And he had already promised that snake to help when he advanced to a formal wizard—sooner or later, he would have to leave.