Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 91 - 87: Beautiful Sculpture
On a moonless night, Lyle locked the door, and Shuishui confirmed there was no one around, making a circle sign through the gap in the windowsill. Tonight, Uncle Raelf wasn’t on the night shift, so there wouldn’t be the awkwardness of being questioned about his disappearance.
Lyle activated the teleportation to Andrei Academy.
The Cup of Luxury, a place of comfortable extravagance where it seemed time stood still in bliss.
Mr. Dragon leaned against the stone table, the large doll costume making the intricately carved seat beneath it look petite. He idly fiddled with an agate crown, his dragon claws scraping against the golden frame as if venting his resentment.
In the past, Lyle’s gaze would undoubtedly be fixed on Mr. Dragon, whether it was because of his mentor and friend’s gloominess or the dazzling treasure in his hands.
However, something that had never appeared before now caught Lyle’s attention.
The marble’s pale whiteness was like the most delicate human skin, while the silky texture of marble embellishments, and the stone’s veining, contradicted its vivid lifelikeness, wrapping the unreality into a beautiful fantasy. The most eye-catching part of the sculpture was undoubtedly its dreamlike face. If Aphrodite herself had descended to the mortal world, the view would be much the same. The face made gold and lustrous stones look mediocre and even invoked a feeling of desecration, a guilty sense that one’s gaze was defiling something divine.
"Alianna?" The face that closely resembled Alianna’s was almost tearing Lyle’s heart open, revealing all his affection under the light.
But it wasn’t her. Although his memory of Alianna’s face was only a fleeting glimpse from confronting a ghostly copy, a voice inside his head, humble yet arrogant with the knowledge of truth, was saying it wasn’t Alianna. Alianna’s charm couldn’t reach this extent.
"This is a sculpture of Helena," Mr. Dragon shifted his gaze to the sculpture. "Alianna brought it over. There was an auction of Helena’s sculptures in the City of Wandering a few days ago. You missed the grand event because of the ’Twilight Memories’ gathering. Helena’s sculptures are quite popular."
"Hmm, so Alianna bought this here?" That perfectly natural face stared back at Lyle, as if looking towards some nonexistent beyond. To define the value of this piece of art with money seemed like a tragedy.
"The top auction item at that auction couldn’t come close to this piece. This is something Alianna brought directly from her home, a gift Helena gave to her lovely sister. We’re merely fortunate to witness it."
The statue’s face was turned to the side, seated on a stone platform. Its graceful figure was like Aphrodite awakening for the first time, a goddess of beauty who makes people fall in love.
"Truly fortunate."
"Indeed, it’s quite a fitting piece for the Cup of Luxury. However, this sculpture possesses a magical charm that leads to downfall. Plague Doctor, your eyes should rest for a while," Mr. Dragon moved in front of Lyle, his voice booming like a church bell, waking Lyle from his reverie.
"The pursuit of beauty is human nature, but excessive indulgence is not conducive to your growth, Plague Doctor."
"I’m sorry, teacher, my self-control is really weak."
Mr. Dragon’s doll dragon claw patted his shoulder, "No need for self-reproach, Plague Doctor. If I had encountered such an outstanding woman in my youth, I would have been even more unable to withstand. It’s your fortune and a trial."
From Lyle’s sleeve came a rustling sound as Medusa peeked out her head, her pink pupils slightly narrowed, her voice filled with the tease of a no-good elder sister, "Enthralled by a sculpture, little brother?"
"So what if I am?"
"Nothing much." Medusa looked at the sculpture of Helena, falling into a long silence, but not captivated like Lyle.
"Magic charms don’t work on you? Medusa."
She turned her head, her face showing perplexity followed by sudden realization; her eyes filled with reluctance, "That’s because I was already captivated by the charm of the great Helena. I was crafted by that supremely beautiful being; my body and soul belong to her. But to think... to think I have actually become a nanny for a little blockhead. My days have turned to darkness."
Watching Medusa roll around in the palm of his hand, Lyle had an exasperated look on his face, but felt she was hiding something beneath this act.
The mind-linked Shuishui immediately whipped out a tentacle and prodded the shameless woman.
"Stop it, don’t poke anymore, Shuishui. Your sister is getting angry."
The frolic was over.
Mr. Dragon watched as Shuishui returned to its spot on Lyle’s left shoulder.
"Plague Doctor, your talent seems to have gotten a bit stronger? Probably just a bit, or is it my imagination?"
"Not at all, Mr. Dragon," Lyle straightened up, like a soldier being inspected, "I have successfully advanced to One Lock, teacher."
Just like a student awaiting praise.
"One Lock, eh, so weak," Mr. Dragon’s voice rose, "Ah, quite remarkable, Plague Doctor, after all, you are still young, it’s alright. As long as the skills you learn are good, even One Lock can be useful. So, what is your new ability?"
Lyle’s excitement diminished a little, but Plague Messenger rekindled his confidence, "It’s Plague Messenger, Mr. Dragon." Lyle then detailed his new ability and took out a Plague Ejector he had prepared in advance.
Watching Lyle bustling excitedly before him, Mr. Dragon stroked his chin, "An Interference Skill, eh, and it takes thirty minutes to have a significant effect..."
"It’s quite powerful, the attack strength is also quite good, I think Plague Messenger is a very comprehensive skill."
Mr. Dragon clapped his hands, "Plague Doctor, perhaps you have some misconceptions about what comprehensive means. Let me show you what an Attack Skill is. After all, comprehensive includes attack, and Attack Skills represent efficiency and high lethality; in battle, speed and power are very important. My One Lock skill is just an Attack Skill, it’s called Bone Burst."
Mr. Dragon pulled a femur from his pouch, and pale Mana made it float in the air, shooting out like a sword, followed by a loud boom. The white bone missile successfully inflicted a devastating blow on the center garden of Andrei Academy.
Looking at Mr. Dragon’s dragon head doll-face illuminated by the blast, "Teacher, there seemed to be people there just now."
"I know, freaks from the Plant Research Society who want to turn back time to before animals came onto land, no need to worry, they won’t know what happened since their bone fragments are already mixed with my white bone shards."
"I mean... the people won’t be harmed, right?"
"They are much more resilient than you think, wildfire can’t consume them, they resurrect with the spring wind."
Lyle snapped back to reality, his new power indeed wasn’t so simple and crude.
"Look at my memory, I almost forgot about the errand an old friend entrusted to me." Mr. Dragon snapped his fingers, and a human skeleton walked out of his room, disassembled in midair, and formed a Skeleton Gate shrouded in grey-white mist.
"Skeleton Gate, our standard teleportation magic. Mr. Scholar is having temporary issues on his side, not fit to receive guests. He instructed me, if you return, to send you straight over. I also have one of my skeletons there, so it’s quite convenient."
Lyle stepped into the teleportation gate with trepidation.
Behind the gate was a dimly lit secret room, neatly arranged, but the dull candlelight remained daunting.
Mr. Scholar, wearing his trademark cyan enchanted mask, was drawing a mysterious magic circle at the center of the room.
"You’re here, Plague Doctor."
"Yes, sir, and I have also brought Sword Dance Mandala."
"Excellent, please wait patiently for a while, I still need a little time." Mr. Scholar never left the magic circle, not even shifting his gaze.
"Mr. Scholar."
"Hmm."
"Can you tell me about your One Lock ability?"
"Of course, my ability is Supra Magic. Or you can call it The Supreme One. It means, my Mana Quantity at One Lock is equivalent to others’ Two Locks, Two Lock is equivalent to Three Lock, and so on."
Ha, so you’re the king of outleveling the game?
