Pet Dog Dark Cloud

When Isabel turned around and saw Lily, her mind went completely blank for a moment.

Why does Lily walk so quietly when she gets up?

When exactly did she touch my back? Is this the power of someone who Path of Adaptation transcendence?!

And, most importantly...

Did Lily hear what I just said? Although judging from her reaction, Lily didn't seem to hear me... but since she got out of bed and came over, it means she must have been awake for a while, right?

They should have heard her and Iver talking a long time ago. But she looked surprised, as if to say, "Oh my, what are you doing here?"

—It looks fake no matter how you look at it!

Since Lily could sneak up behind him silently, it meant she could also hide so he wouldn't see her.

But she didn't even hide it; instead, she openly let herself see it... That was intentional, just to save face for herself.

Isabel understood this perfectly. Just like when Isabel and Iver first went to the White Shoes Club, she was already there long before.

However, in order not to make Iver feel like she had been waiting there for a long time, she went to browse around the surrounding shops for a while after confirming that Iver had not arrived.

While browsing, she would keep her eyes fixed on the club's entrance.

Isabel's original plan was... if Iver also arrived early, she would hide in the store for a little while, then go out, pretending to have arrived slightly later than him; if Iver didn't arrive early, she would come out and ask to come in when it was almost time. This would give Iver the feeling that "I actually just arrived too," and "What a coincidence, I chose this time as well," which would make him happier.

If she showed that she had been waiting there for a long time, Iver might be touched, but more likely it would make Iver feel a lot of pressure.

That would make it seem like your feelings are very heavy... as if you are demanding that the other person take you seriously.

At the time, Iver was Isabel's only friend. She had to be extremely cautious and carefully consider all the possibilities.

Isabel thought that if she arrived too early, Iver might arrive even earlier the next time they went out together—which would put pressure on both of them. They might inadvertently make the other person wait a long time... or make them feel that going out with her was a stressful or time-consuming experience.

Isabel didn't want to give that impression. She never wanted to be a burden to others.

Not only at the royal and national levels, or in Promotion Ritual... but even in making friends, she has always maintained this philosophy.

If she could, she would prefer her friends to be happy and content around her, rather than frowning and feeling stressed... if she could have friends at all.

Although she now probably understands Queen Sophia's thoughts more or less, the experience of enduring pressure from the age of six or seven until nineteen was simply too heavy and had already caused her too much psychological stress. It would be difficult to gradually adjust back to that state now.

But what if Lily heard that...?

... Will she think I'm a bad girl? Isabel and Lily get along quite well. For Isabel, who can count her "friends" on one hand, each friend is precious.

Even though she and Lily mostly talked about Iver, they were still friends who could talk to each other. Isabel still cared a lot about what Lily thought of her.

Isabel hesitated for a moment, then tried to explain, "I just finished my promotion and came to check on Iver's situation... I just wanted to help Iver test his new Blessing Art..."

"So that's how it is."

Lily pretended to suddenly realize something.

Isabel's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no, Lily really heard it—

Because given Lily's personality, she shouldn't have responded like that at all.

Lily should tease him in return, whispering embarrassing adult jokes in his ear. Then, seeing his gaze dart away, she would casually back away. She always liked to teeter on the edge of danger like that.

Suddenly, Isabel had a flash of inspiration and pulled Lily over. "How about we talk about what happened on your end?"

Upon hearing this, Iver looked over with great curiosity.

Meeting Iver's gaze, Lily could only reply, "It's nothing really."

"Meg ... ah, I mean, Miss Ligeia is just too strong! Not only is she incredibly powerful and intelligent, but she's also as reliable as a captain."

"She brought us together so easily. I even felt like I didn't do anything at all, just followed orders and got it done in a daze... In the end, I didn't even know what had happened."

"However, I was very lucky and chose Shadow Affinity again this time. It must be because of the contract I made with you, young master, that I can use... her power during the ritual."

Lily said vaguely.

Because she wasn't sure if she could talk to Isabel about Shadowfiend, she could only use this method to refer to him.

She was clearly delighted. "I now have level three Shadow Affinity, enough to fully contain her power!"

—In this way, Iver will be completely freed from his wheelchair!

At this point, Lily suddenly remembered something. "Oh right, young master... I saw 'dark clouds'!"

"Have you revealed your identity?"

Iver immediately perked up.

"Dark Cloud" refers to the werewolf writer he and Lily met during their promotion last time, who said he was going to Avalon and asked them to take care of him.

As a werewolf, his primary role should be the Path of Love, overlapping with Lily's.

But his primary profession should be at least at the Third Level, and possibly even the Fourth Level. He has now been promoted to his second profession, "writer" on the Path of Beauty.

—And last time, he was killed by Lily.

"No, I used a new identity this time."

Lily shook her head. "But he's different from ordinary werewolves. He seems to know a lot about witches..."

"You know a lot about witches?"

Iver said thoughtfully, "I see... I understand now. He is the witch's guardian."

"Guardians?"

"Yes. The Wolf Transformation Technique is a spell that only high-level witches can master. The fastest they can master it is at the Third Level, and if their progress is relatively balanced, it will take them to the Fourth Level. For witches at the Fourth Level, they rarely have enemies that they have to use the Wolf Transformation Technique to deal with."

Iver explained.

In this version where the Fifth Level is the ceiling that only a very few people can reach, the Fourth Level has already surpassed the limits of normal people and become the strongest in the conventional sense.

If the Fifth Level is the Nobel Prize and the Third Level is a doctorate, then the Fourth Level is roughly the level of an academician. This is no longer a realm that ordinary people can reach through "effort."

For such important figures, there are plenty of people eager to curry favor with them.

"Not to mention, witches are transcendent beings on the Path of Love. Just like the Path of Beauty, they can enhance beauty and the body. However, unlike the Path of Beauty, which 'transforms oneself into the posture that best suits one's aesthetic,' the Path of Love constantly makes one's body more perfect. It makes the strong stronger, the beautiful more beautiful, the skillful more skillful... and the delicious more delicious."

"Therefore, high-ranking witches all possess unparalleled beauty and ageless appearance. They can also concoct large quantities of magical potions. With the connections they've built up over the years, why would they need to personally cast curses to deal with enemies?"

Iver laughed and said, "This is the paradox of the Wolf Transformation Technique—high-level witches who have mastered the Wolf Transformation Technique no longer need to use it. Moreover, they can also turn people into lambs or frogs, and if no one breaks the spell, it can last for a very long time, several years or even more than ten years. They don't necessarily have to bear the cost of 'the other party might turn into a werewolf to retaliate' by using the Wolf Transformation Technique."

Iver became more and more excited as he talked, and he crawled out from under the covers.

Lily was momentarily stunned, then subconsciously glanced at Isabel. Their eyes met.

The two exchanged a glance, then both lowered their eyes, pretending nothing had happened.

Iver, however, simply sat leaning against the pillows, earnestly explaining to the two, "So, there's another possibility. These werewolves are actually followers of the witch."

"Because witches are advanced supernatural beings on the Path of Love, they are easily influenced by the Path Power, becoming irritable, selfish, and willful. Therefore, witches often modify their loyal followers... for example, turning them into ghosts attached to armor and tea sets, or into their mounts and pets..."

"... Or turn them into werewolves, right?"

Lily's heart sank, and she answered softly.

Hearing this, she felt a strange sense of fear.

Now she's doing what she wants to do, and she doesn't feel much conflict.

But in the future, as her level gradually increases and her resonance with the Dao becomes stronger, will she still be able to maintain her original heart under the continuous erosion of the Path Power? "That's right."

Iver affirmed, "There are indeed werewolves who were transformed by a curse. But most of them don't know much about witches, or at least harbor hatred towards them. But from what you've said, Dark Cloud seems to be friends with witches... so he is very likely a 'domestic dog' kept by some witch."

"So I think he lied before. He didn't flee because of the political infighting within the Iris, nor was he being hunted by those vampires. The fact that he was able to hold two Promotion Ritual doesn't seem like he was being hunted at all."

You should know that you can't wake up during the Promotion Ritual.

This is the most vulnerable moment for almost all superhumans.

Even a superhuman like Meg would fall into a deep sleep, unable to perceive her surroundings, during her advancement. Forcibly waking her would automatically count as a failed ritual. It's like escaping from a game; not only does she bear the cost of a failed ritual, but she also suffers the cost of being forcibly awakened—and the effect of the Drunken Dream Tincture is that she can't be woken up no matter what.

"Even if he were to risk advancing, it would be more reasonable for him to advance to the Path of Love. How could he gain any ability by Path of Beauty 1 to Level 2... yet he advanced twice in half a month."

Iver affirmed, "So at least he's not being chased, otherwise he wouldn't be so relaxed."

"Then there are two possibilities. Either he was actually sent by his master, or his master is gone, so he has become a homeless stray dog."

The internal strife within the Iris Flower Kingdom is also fierce. It's understandable that "Dark Cloud" doesn't want to take sides.

This also explains why he knows so many secrets—

A person who has been tormented by the Wolf Transformation Technique for at least nine years should be wandering in the wild until he is full of wildness and can no longer be accepted by society.

Even if he previously possessed an adaptability to the Path of Beauty, that should be gone now. How could he possibly still have enough literary cultivation and spirituality to support him as a "writer"? Unless he had always been raised like a pet dog, with the opportunity to read books and newspapers normally at home, he wouldn't have been able to keep up with the times. The secrets he knew were probably revealed intentionally or unintentionally by his master.

Then his purpose in going to Avalon is not so pure...

"Miss Ligeia said that he has already arrived in Avalon."

Lily added, "He may have even arrived at or been close to Glass Island. Although he seemed friendly, Miss Ligeia still didn't promote him... But even so, she became acquainted with him."

"Miss Ligeia is really amazing."

Lily was also very envious.

Isabel, who was listening nearby, also opened her eyes wide, revealing a longing expression.

It's impressive that you two stay up all night.

Iver thought to himself.

I wanted to catch up on some sleep, why are they still chatting...?

"Well, I feel energized after talking. Maybe we should just stay up all night?" Iver sighed and decided to get dressed and get out of bed.

"Little Isa, are my clothes warm?"

Iver teased, "Aren't you going back to change your clothes?"

"Little Isabel" is a perfectly normal nickname; even Queen Sophia and Meg use it. But Isabel still blushed when she heard it.

She leaned close to Iver's ear and whispered menacingly, "I've been your mother... now we're even!"

"That was called by Iver Alexander. What does it have to do with Iver Moriarty?"

Iver looked completely innocent.

Isabel was so angry she felt like her teeth were itching.

In retaliation and punishment, she decided not to return Iver's pajamas for now. "I won't return the clothes to you yet...!"

After saying that, Isabel turned and ran.

Iver shouted from behind, "Remember to pay me back next week, I need to go out!"

"Good!"

Without turning her head, Isabel replied crisply, "Then I'll return it to you next week!"

In the painting above Iver's head, Yanis is rolling around excitedly.

Update complete, meow