Dream Wilderness.
Angel appeared on the first floor of the attic where Nis lived. After giving Tulas and Mandhaila beside him a slight nod, he quickly headed up to the second floor.
Upon reaching the second floor, Angel saw Iron Armor Granny and Nis.
Besides them, there was now a plump, somewhat restrained wizard apprentice on the second floor. Though seated, he kept his head lowered, looking thoroughly uneasy.
"Granny." Angel greeted Iron Armor Granny and walked over. As he passed the somewhat fat male apprentice, Angel paused.
"You are... Zhulington?"
At hearing his name, astonishment flashed through Zhulington's eyes, squeezed into slits by his flesh, along with an indescribable tangle of complicated feelings and embarrassment.
"M-m-my lord... you still remember me?" Zhulington's voice shrank slightly, and he did not dare meet Angel's gaze.
Angel looked away, gave a soft "Mm," then passed him by and sat across from Iron Armor Granny.
On the other side, Nis, seated on a small single sofa, looked over curiously. "What, Angel? You know this apprentice?"
Named once again, Zhulington stiffened, lowering his head even further.
"Not long after I arrived at Savage Cave, I met him once in Apprentice Town." Back then, Zhulington had even brought several beautiful women with him, trying to forcibly establish a connection with Angel, whose alchemy had only just begun to take shape, by gifting him beauties.
After being refused, Zhulington had seemed somewhat humiliated into anger. For a time, Angel had worried that Zhulington might retaliate against him. After all, Zhulington had already been a third-level apprentice then, and Angel had heard he was the petty sort. Later, however, he realized his worries had been unnecessary. Zhulington might indeed have harbored thoughts of revenge, but with Sanders backing Angel, Zhulington ultimately had not dared make any underhanded