Seeking Dreams

The plan had succeeded, but they still had to keep up the act.

Sean looked a little excited at first, then seemed to remember something. His expression turned hesitant. "Important people like you, who can enter the second floor of the Hall of Truth, must have plenty of important things to do every day. Wouldn't it be a waste of your time to stay in Old Sigel City just for me?"

"No."

Kate was indeed busy, but not so busy that he couldn't spare the time. Besides, even if he did have something to do, so what?

"My business, no matter how important, could never be more important than Lord Black's!"

"Don't worry about whether I'm busy. Just focus on your signing event."

Seeing Kate's noble devotion, Sean was deeply moved. He took his hand and offered his most heartfelt thanks.

"Light Servant, you're such a good person."

"You don't need to thank me." Kate looked Sean in the eye and said solemnly, "Everything is for Lord Black."

Setting the mission aside, they both worked for Lord Black. They were true comrades-in-arms, brothers despite having different parents. Even without instructions, Kate would do what he could to help Sean.

Besides, he was a participant in the Dawn Meeting. He knew that Elvily and the others would attack Floris Hospital in Holkodo on the same day. If Sean's event could draw away some of the hospital's armed forces, that might not be a bad thing.

Kate wasn't afraid Sean was deceiving him.

He was actually very sensitive to people's emotions, and he could tell that Sean's devotion to Lord Black was genuine.

And the signing event was five days away. Even if he did have doubts, he had plenty of time to go to the Hall of Truth and ask Lord Black about it.

As for Sean, after settling the matter of the signing event, he turned his attention to the suitcase by Kate's feet.

It surely contained the things he needed.

Forgive him for being a materialistic man who wanted everything.

Sean looked at the suitcase and asked, "What's this...?"

"Oh, I nearly forgot." Kate handed it to him. "This should be for you."

They were all low-tier materials. At first, Kate had wondered what Lord Black wanted them for, but he couldn't figure it out. He wouldn't ask, either. Lord Black had his reasons for doing things; Kate only needed to follow orders.

But now that he'd met Sean, Kate was beginning to understand. Lord Black might be planning to cultivate this young man.

After all, judging by Sean's behavior just now, he was as devoted a supporter of Lord Black as Kate was. If Kate were choosing someone to cultivate, he'd pick someone like Sean, too.

Loyalty would always matter more than talent.

Thinking of this, Kate suddenly felt a little envious of Sean.

Sean was only a Tier One newborn wizard, and admittedly rather weak. He really did need to improve his strength quickly. But... Kate wasn't strong either!

He'd completely forgotten how proud he'd been just a few minutes earlier to be called a "Light Servant."

To ordinary people, the power of Tier Five was as miraculous as a god's. But in front of Lord Black, Kate was still just a little child who needed care and protection. Why couldn't Lord Black cultivate him, too, while he was at it?

Kate felt a little sour inside.

Sean seemed to see what was on his mind. "Light Servant, don't worry. The next time Lord Black summons me, I'll tell him honestly that you saved me. Without you, I'd be dead."

He was putting in a good word for Kate.

Kate's eyes widened. "There's no need."

"What kind of person do you take me for?"

"Do you think I did all this to get a reward from Lord Black?"

"No. Being able to serve Lord Black is an honor in itself." Kate spoke with righteous conviction. "I don't need any other reward. I volunteered."

Sean asked, "You really don't want one?"

Kate replied, "But if you insist on putting in a good word for me, I can't exactly stop you. Just be subtle when you mention my name. Thanks."

Sean said, "..."

"Okay."

"Well... if there's nothing else, I'll get going." Kate had meant to change the subject, but realized they seemed to have nothing else to talk about. If they kept chatting, they might end up discussing the shared interests of men—sports cars and beautiful women—which wouldn't be very refined. He glanced at the suitcase, then asked Sean one last question. "Would you like me to recommend an alchemist?"

Sean smiled and politely declined. "No need. I know one. Don't waste your favor."

"Sure." Kate nodded.

Anyway, they were low-tier potions. It wouldn't make much difference who made them.

The materials weren't worth much, either. If Sean really did ruin them, Kate could just get him some more. It was a small matter.

They exchanged phone numbers. Then Kate put on his sunglasses, wrapped his scarf around his face, and, just like before, wandered around lost as he felt his way out of the abandoned factory district.

His identity was rather sensitive. It wouldn't do for him to show his face in public too often.

Sean's next stop was the post office.

When he'd said he knew an alchemist, he'd naturally meant Charles.

To make the "test" feel more convincing, Sean hadn't specified how much of each item he wanted when he'd left Kate the list. After all, Kate was a high-tier wizard who could enter the second floor of the Hall of Truth. Even if he sent a small amount, it wouldn't be too little. And just as Sean had expected, Kate had brought him plenty of materials, enough to fill the suitcase. There was more than enough for him to make twenty batches of Spirit Potion.

Since there was a chance the items might be stopped in transit, Sean didn't want to put all his eggs in one basket. He decided to send them to Charles in several small batches.

He went back to the motel first, locked the doors and windows, and entered the Void Arts Space.

Charles was still at the same stall.

When he heard that Sean had gotten twenty batches' worth of materials, Charles was stunned. "Did you rob someone? Where'd you get all this?"

Kate might not have thought the materials were worth much, but to a newborn wizard, they were treasures. Sean was proof enough of that—he'd been a wizard for days now and still didn't know where to get alchemy materials. Aside from using his identity from his previous life, the only option he could think of was buying them.

And there was no need to guess the price. They were surely expensive, and Sean probably couldn't afford them right now.

"Someone gave them to me," Sean answered honestly.

Charles scrutinized Sean's face, then suddenly seemed to understand. "Oh, I get it."

"You didn't rob anyone. You went into the oldest profession."

Sean: "?"

Could he stop focusing on Sean's looks all the time and pay more attention to what was inside?

It wasn't his fault he was good-looking.

"Are you taking this job or not? If you aren't, I'll find someone else." Sean couldn't be bothered to waste time with him.

Charles hurriedly replied, "I'll take it! Of course I will."

"But let's get this straight. I may be a little alchemy genius, but I've only just started. I can't guarantee a hundred percent success rate." Charles thought it over. "I'm fairly familiar with Spirit Potion, so I'd conservatively estimate that I could make about fifteen batches from twenty sets of materials."

"That's fine. That's a good rate." Sean knew a little about alchemy, too. Most alchemists had only a fifty percent chance of successfully making a potion of their own tier, and it wasn't unusual for a batch to blow up. Charles could manage over seventy percent. If he wasn't lying, he really might be a genius.

"How much are you charging?" Sean asked.

"We're friends. Why would I charge you?" Charles handed Sean a card. "There are five addresses here. Send the materials over, then just wait for them to arrive."

Sean eyed him suspiciously. "You're being this generous?"

Charles gave a cheeky grin. "When you have some free time, how about teaching me a little about how you got into the Hall of Truth?"

He hadn't forgotten how Sean had shocked him a few days ago. He'd wanted to ask about it then, but waited for ages and Sean never came back. It wasn't until today that Sean finally showed up again. This was a rare opportunity, and Charles had to latch on to this golden opportunity!

Sean might only be Tier One, just like him, but that was only temporary. As the only wizard known to have entered the Hall of Truth at Tier One, Sean could one day reach heights ordinary wizards couldn't imagine.

You had to latch on early. You couldn't wait until someone had made it big before trying to get close. You had to start while they were still young.

Charles had already decided that from now on, whenever Sean came to him to make potions, he'd do it for free, no matter how many batches there were!

Hearing him mention the Hall of Truth, Sean rolled his eyes. He'd known Charles had an ulterior motive.

Still, he didn't refuse.

"Some other time. When I have a moment, I'll think of a way to see if I can get you in directly."

Charles: "!!!"

Get in directly?!

"Did I hear that right?"

"No, but you'll have to wait." Sean said, "I've been pretty busy lately."

"That's fine. I'll wait!" Charles said excitedly. "I'll wait as long as it takes!"

Sean wasn't simply making Charles a promise he couldn't keep. Since he could control the statue and make it move, then theoretically, he should also be able to use the statue to grant someone else the right to enter the Hall of Truth. He just hadn't found a way to do it yet, so he'd need to experiment.

Actually, the best way would be to dream about the Void Arts Space, the Hall of Truth, and a certain Flame Crow Girl. Then all his problems would be solved. Unfortunately, it wasn't up to him. Ever since he'd dreamed about Saintess Oliya last time, he hadn't had a dream for over half a month... Hm?

Wait.

Sean suddenly realized that wizards had all sorts of abilities. He didn't know how to make himself dream, but perhaps someone else did.

He could learn.

"Are there any wizards who practice dream magic in the Void Arts Space?" Sean asked Charles.

Charles didn't understand why he was suddenly asking, but still answered, "There are."

"He even asked my teacher to help him make a potion."