Special Passage

"What is it?" Roy looked at her. "Olinda, you've made us suffer greatly!"

Olinda replied, "I don't understand what you mean."

Renion said angrily, "Are you genuinely stupid or just pretending? Back in the Great Wind Land Hills, you almost got us killed!"

Olinda's face paled. She finally understood that these two had come to settle the score.

She quickly said, "Who knew if what you said was true or false?

You say I harmed you, so I harmed you? I could also say you harmed us!"

"Heh, you're not going to admit it?" Renion laughed in anger.

Olinda said irritably, "Say whatever you want. I've already completely offended Oren, so I don't care about offending you further."

Renion was choked up, speechless for a moment.

Roy waved his hand, signaling Renion to calm down. "Olinda, we're not here to argue with you. I want to talk to you, okay?"

Olinda hesitated for a moment, then nodded and invited Roy into the room.

"Bang!"

The door closed.

Renion looked a bit stunned.

"Make yourself comfortable."

In the Intermediate Apprentice's living quarters, Olinda sat down at her small desk. Beneath her dark Apprentice Leader robe, her voluptuous figure was accentuated.

Roy looked around. As expected, it was as messy as his own place.

Witch apprentices rarely had anyone clean their rooms because they were too busy with experiments every day and didn't want to be disturbed.

There might also be private or valuable items inside, such as the hollow lace camisole and stockings casually hanging nearby.

Following Roy's gaze, Olinda also noticed the impropriety.

But she was clearly not the type of obedient girl. Instead of feeling embarrassed, she tossed her hair and gave him a flirtatious look.

"Roy, what do you want to talk about? Don't tell me you're going to accuse me of harming you for no reason, like that other guy?"

She shifted her chair closer, leaning forward slightly.

"Cut the act. Tell me, why are you being hunted by Oren?"

Roy looked away, his gaze calm as he watched her.

"Is it because of the treasure from the Chalk Country?"

Olinda's body trembled slightly.

"The matter of the Chalk Country was all over the news. Some people also said that materials used in various forbidden experiments might have splashed out from a small world...

If you don't want to die without understanding why, you'd better explain this clearly, even if it's just to muddy the waters."

Roy said, observing her reaction as he probed.

"Besides, strictly speaking, we're in this together now.

That Oren fellow is arrogant and treats us like ants he can crush at will.

If it weren't to deal with him, I wouldn't be getting involved in this mess to ask you these questions."

Olinda's expression immediately became strange.

There seemed to be shock, surprise, and a hint of inexplicable joy and conflict in her eyes.

"So you weren't trying to extort me when you said that? You were really hiding there?"

Roy replied, "That's right. I even saw the method you used to evade the fatal blow – that incredibly realistic illusion. Is it some kind of substitute puppet?"

Olinda said, "I do possess some secrets from the Chalk Country. If you swear not to harm me and help me avoid being hunted by Oren, I'll share this secret with you!

You're right. Since only I am left from our team, I can't afford to dream of keeping it all to myself anymore."

"You really have a secret?"

Roy rejoiced inwardly, but quickly calmed down.

The Seven Towers Alliance was a pirate-like civilization built on plunder and colonization. Whether it was division of labor or ensuring spoils, contracts were used.

Archmages who wielded divine authority even infused the world's will with powerful oath authority to uphold the spirit of contracts.

However, the interpretation of such things often rested in the hands of the powerful.

Moreover, contracts were completed by mutual consent, and they were never short of devilish deception and fraud. One could easily fall into a huge pit.

"I can swear not to harm you, but only if you also don't harm us.

Beyond that, I can't guarantee your safety, only offer help within my capabilities."

Roy said, carefully choosing his words.

Agreements like this could hide potential traps such as "unlimited liability" and "ambiguous value."

All of those must be broken one by one.

He didn't want to get into debt or fall into a trap by rashly signing some Wizard Contract.

Olinda immediately knew Roy wasn't someone to be trifled with, so she said, "I demand the same treatment as your teammates.

If we encounter an opponent we can fight, you must also help protect me or fight alongside me."

Roy replied, "Agreed, but if it's an unbeatable enemy, or due to other irresistible factors, we'll have to go our separate ways.

Furthermore, the number of times and the duration of this promise must be limited, primarily based on the value of your information.

To be specific, we'll follow the principle of fairness..."

Olinda said helplessly, "Fine."

After both parties reached an agreement, Olinda took a simple parchment map from the desk.

Roy took it and looked, his expression immediately showing surprise: "This is..."

It was a topographical map of the Great Wind Land Hills area, with a special location marked by a bloody 'X'. It was precisely where he had slain the Merman Lord!

Olinda said solemnly, "That is the rumored location of the Void Rift!"

"We've been there before, but we didn't find anything."

"That's because you weren't lucky enough. The treasure was stuck inside the spatial rift. When we went, it just happened to fall out...

Actually, others have had similar fortuitous encounters elsewhere, finding treasures falling from the sky while walking down the street. This is what sparked the treasure-hunting craze."

Roy was momentarily speechless upon hearing this.

He had to admit, he was jealous.

What kind of people were those...

Finding treasures falling from the sky just by walking down the street sounded ridiculous!

Olinda continued, "But the real importance isn't the treasure, it's the treasure mountain!

Do you understand? Only there is the true Void Rift that directly leads to Chalk Country, not some small hole or a long-closed dimensional barrier!"

Roy snapped back to attention, lost in thought.

"The portal inside the Wizard Tower has already been destroyed, and we're not like Archmages who can traverse the astral plane...

So, at this stage, it's the only Special Passage available for apprentices to enter and exit!"

As Olinda explained, Roy gradually understood that over a year ago, there had already been rumors among apprentices about "treasures falling from the sky."

But those who knew about it kept it secret, only frequenting the Great Wind Land Hills, quietly making a fortune.

Over time, it inevitably revealed clues, attracting Olinda and others to embark on adventures.