Gelfis Meditation Method, Third Edition

As Green waited for Elizabeth to make her request, a little red bird flew in through the window, unhurried and unafraid.

It was about the size of an ordinary sparrow. It flew to Elizabeth's side and began chirping.

Green stared in surprise. This was the top floor of Wilson Castle! After Baron Lonanks was murdered, Viscount Paul had paid Doctor Wilkins a fortune to set up a Defensive Magic Circle against the Eerie. If anything intruded, even a mouse, it would trigger the circle, sound an alarm, and come under attack. Yet the red bird had flown in as though it owned the place, and the Magic Circle that had cost thirteen hundred Gold Pounds did not react at all.

Elizabeth's face darkened. She listened to the little bird chirp for a moment, her brows drawing together. She rubbed her hands lightly, seemingly lost in thought.

Green felt certain the bird served as some kind of messenger, though its news did not seem to please Elizabeth.

A dozen seconds later, the red bird beat its wings and flew away, once again without triggering the Defensive Magic Circle.

Elizabeth stood. "Sorry, something needs my attention. Let's stop here for today. I'll bring you the Meditation Method next time. As for the price... your Skeleton is unusual. Just summon it for me to see next time." Without waiting for Green's answer, she headed out.

Green frowned but did not rise to see her off. His gaze followed her graceful figure as she left.

Perhaps Elizabeth had somehow seen Green's fight with the Ghoul and noticed the Skeleton Soldiers he had summoned from the Graveyard. She might have recognized something unusual about them and wanted to study them. Green was not surprised. Now that he was a Necromancer, he could hardly avoid summoning the Graveyard's Undead creatures in front of others. It was only a matter of time before someone noticed they were out of the ordinary.

Besides, Green did not believe Elizabeth could discover the Graveyard's existence just by looking at a Skeleton Soldier.

If so, why not trade a look for a Meditation Method? The Gelfis Meditation Method, Third Edition was famous throughout the Lorenzo Kingdom's magical circles. It was the final version revised by the renowned Archmage Gelfis, and within the entire Kingdom, only the Advanced Studies Classes at its two finest magic academies could study it.

The next morning, Green was eating breakfast when Vincent hurried in. He sat down across from Green without ceremony and asked, "Green, Lola told me you ran into Elizabeth Franton at Old One-Eye's place yesterday. Well? Is she really as captivating as the rumors say?"

Green rolled his eyes. Of all things, that was what Vincent cared about? Caught between laughter and exasperation, he said, "She is captivating. But that woman is dangerous. Extremely dangerous."

Vincent froze. He had heard that Elizabeth was a gentle, beautiful noblewoman. How had she become someone so dangerous in Green's telling?

Then Green dropped the bombshell. "If you can, I'd advise you to stay as far away from her as possible. If I'm right, she may be at the Formal Rank."

"What did you say?" Vincent's eyes widened. A Formal-Rank Transcendent? How many years had it been since Landon City had seen one? A Transcendent that powerful could sweep through an entire city. The Police and the army would be useless. To ordinary people, such a person was like some colossal beast from a primeval age—and Green was saying Miss Franton was one!

But Vincent knew Green was not joking. His shock gave way to a grave expression. "Are you sure? She's really at the Formal Rank?"

Green shook his head. "I'm not certain, but it's highly likely. And she isn't someone who's just reached the Formal Rank. She's powerful even among those who have."

Vincent swallowed. "I have to tell Father. This is too important!" He stood and bowed solemnly to Green. "My brother, thank you!" He was not putting on an act. The news was that important: a Formal-Rank Transcendent could decide whether the Wilson Family rose or fell, survived or perished.

Green accepted the thanks readily. Just then, quick footsteps sounded outside the door, and a little girl in a cream-colored princess dress burst in.

She was around ten, with fair skin, golden hair, big eyes, and round cheeks that made her especially endearing.

"Vincent, Green, what are you doing?" Her childish voice was sweet as she skipped over, like a pure white lily.

"Lillisa, what are you doing here?" Vincent looked at her in surprise. She was his youngest sister, the little princess of the family.

"Grandpa Wilkins said Green has dolls that can move, so I came to see them." Lillisa blinked her big eyes and looked at Green expectantly.

Green and Vincent were dumbfounded. Doctor Wilkins was hopeless. Lillisa must have pestered him until he lost patience, so he had passed the trouble to Green. Dolls that could move? They were Skeleton Soldiers! Those things were no toys for a little girl!

It took all of Green's and Vincent's coaxing to put the little girl off. Vincent even had to agree to quite a few conditions.

After Vincent and his sister left, Green continued practicing [Bone Spikes] alone.

Unlike [Soul Summoning], [Bone Spikes] had not strained his body after reaching LV3. Green could keep practicing it. On a sudden whim, he stood on the balcony and cast it into the air. Thirty meters above the ground, a flash of magical light sent more than a dozen stone spikes, each one or two meters long, shooting downward. But after traveling only three or four meters, the sharp spikes turned insubstantial and scattered into Psychic Energy.

This was a limitation of [Bone Spikes]. Cast from the ground, its spikes could only strike within a range equal to their own length. Cast from the air, gravity extended that range to three or four meters, but no farther. Otherwise, it would no longer be [Bone Spikes] but a different spell.

After discovering this, Green tried to improve the spell further, with little success. Magic had developed over countless years in this world. Others might well have made the same discovery and had the same idea. The fact that [Bone Spikes] remained unchanged showed just how hard it was to improve a spell.

Green was no genius. Without the Graveyard, he would not even have become a mage. After a few failed attempts, he gave up and focused on practice: raising the spell's level until he could cast it instantly in any situation and make the spikes thrust out from above, below, left, or right at will. That would do more for his fighting strength than trying to create a new spell.