Layden hopped around in a circle and returned to the campfire. Right then, both their stomachs growled at just the right time.
"If you plan to plant that seed in the spell dreamscape, you'd better do it sooner and leave it time to grow," Layden said. "I can feel it growing every moment..."
Ruger nodded at that.
The old crone was powerful, and even prouder. What the two had always feared was that, for the sake of her experiment, she might give them rewards that seemed beneficial from her perspective but were centered entirely on the experiment itself. Lady Mewtris, who had already become an official wizard, had received just such a favor—and gained a terrible mood along with it. When they had first met, that Nightmare apprentice had already gathered several wizard-apprentice companions around her, and she was clearly their leader. That showed she was undoubtedly an exceptional figure among the Nightmare wizard apprentices.
Ruger and Layden had never hesitated because they feared the old crone might pull some filthy little trick.
"Do we still have any of those Dreaming Mushrooms from last time?" Layden suddenly asked.
Ruger nodded.
"I have a suggestion. Let's rest here for the night. Don't use the Dream Tree's seed just yet," Layden said thoughtfully. "I've decided to sleep here. You can make your decision after I wake up."
Ruger nodded again. Since Layden could say that, he must have sensed something. Besides, there was no harm in observing for one more day.
As for the Dreaming Mushrooms, they had been a small harvest from a few days ago.
Perhaps they could also be considered proof of the correspondence Layden had spoken of before. The Dreaming Mushroom's various traits happened to match a kind of potion ingredient Ruger knew. At first glance, he had