Potions, Treatment, and Education

Yize had yet to realize that, many years later, Xie Yu's smile at this moment and their conversation tonight would become one of the most profound memories of his life.

"Wig Brown?"

Yize was puzzled. Wig had already died of natural causes, and he had even discussed Wig Brown's death with Fry that morning. Xie Yu had been there too. Xie Yu had insisted on attending the funeral.

Xie Yu was saying that he was responsible for Wig Brown's death yesterday afternoon. But that was clearly impossible. Leaving aside the gap in their strength, the time Fry had gone to pick up Xie Yu and the place where Wig had died, the Forest Magic Academy's forest warden's lodge, did not match up.

No, that wasn't right. Yize's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

The physical manifestation of fate was warning him that his thinking was headed in the wrong direction.

Xie Yu stood up and, while Yize was briefly lost in thought, told him the truth as he had seen it:

"Wig Brown's death yesterday afternoon was faked. He replaced Kaiming's fate, devoured Kaiming's mind, and intended to arrange his own funeral under Kaiming's identity, perfectly fake his death, and take over Kaiming's fate."

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 said nervously:]

[Are you going to mention me? Phew, you didn't mention me. Actually, with you holding me, I don't seem to be quite so scared anymore.]

[About the funeral... the old bastard found an innocent beggar and ordered me to replace the beggar's fate with his, Wig Brown's. Then he killed the beggar, and that was how he got the fake corpse.]

[My weakness is that the disguise from replacing a fate can be checked by examining the corpse's bones and brain. That's where my fate replacement falls short of perfection.]

Now that Wig Brown was dead, no one would speak up to refute Xie Yu's accusation. The evidence could also be preserved, and there was no need to worry about Wig Brown destroying it.

Judging by how much importance Yize and Fry placed on him, Xie Yu was certain Yize would give him plenty of opportunity to speak.

He didn't need to rush to spill everything at once.

The confusion in the Magister's voice was unmistakable. He probably really did know nothing about the matter.

Xie Yu trusted Yize's divination abilities. Yize's divinations last night and today had both given him significant warnings. But Yize's surprise and doubt didn't seem feigned either. Perhaps he had been busy with official duties, perhaps 3-0771's influence had taken effect, or perhaps he hadn't paid attention to this minor matter. In any case, Yize really did know little about Wig Brown.

He needed to give Yize some time to digest it.

Yize's brow slowly furrowed.

Replacing fate and faking one's own death... even to a Magister like him, it was no small feat.

Disguising oneself as someone else was easy, and putting in the effort to fool divination wasn't difficult either. But replacing a person along with their fate was almost unheard of.

If someone really succeeded, how could it be investigated?

Yize considered the question of evidence:

"You mean that Wig Brown faked his own corpse at the Forest Magic Academy... that can be verified, so let's leave it aside for now. Go on. What do you mean when you say you killed Wig Brown?"

Seeing that Xie Yu's gaze had not relaxed, Yize knew the boy had more to say. He suppressed his desire to analyze everything in detail and let Xie Yu continue.

"My appearance was an accident in Wig Brown's plan."

"On one hand, I was working as Kaiming's assistant. Once I became familiar with Kaiming's circumstances, I would have become a problem for him when he tried to replace Kaiming, so he moved up the time he acted."

"On the other hand, he didn't expect Mr. Fry to come and take me away. Using Mr. Fry's deterrence and his own fear of being found guilty, I forcibly 'borrowed' the sealed artifact he used to replace Kaiming's fate. You can confirm that with Mr. Fry."

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 knew it would be mentioned eventually. It didn't know what fate lay ahead of it, and hoped that, for the sake of its usefulness, you would keep holding it tightly in your hand.]

Xie Yu paused briefly. He saw a golden light shine in Yize's eyes; he was clearly checking whether those words were true.

The diviner made no effort to hide his emotions. His surprise and astonishment were plain to see, and his lips had parted without closing again.

Xie Yu continued:

"After I borrowed the sealed artifact, it acknowledged me as its master. I told it to go back and kill its former master, Wig Brown, and it completed the task."

Only then did Yize's gaze return to the silver pendant in Xie Yu's hand.

He had come into the room for that silver pendant in the first place.

He had wanted to find out where it had come from.

But everything Xie Yu had said had completely disrupted his train of thought, and he had nearly overlooked the thing. Now that Xie Yu had brought it up again, Yize finally connected it all together.

Everything Xie Yu had said was something he had failed to notice before. If he hadn't sensed something amiss just now, he would have continued to "overlook" it.

In that instant, Yize gained some insight into divination. Even if his gaze could tear through the fog like the sun, it could not shine everywhere as the sun did. When his eyes fell on one place, they overlooked another.

Divination required a person to actively seek out fate. If the direction was wrong, then no matter how profound the divination, it would still be flawed.

"For what comes next, perhaps it would be better if Mr. Fry joined us. And perhaps I'll need you to keep it confidential," Xie Yu said.

Since it involved Kaiming's bribery and the Education Bureau itself, Xie Yu felt he needed to be more cautious.

Yize spoke, not to Xie Yu, but to give Fry an instruction. His voice was quiet, yet it passed precisely through the door and walls to reach its listener:

"Secretary-General Fry, come to Xie Yu's room. We're having a small meeting."

Once Fry hurried over, Yize closed the door to Xie Yu's room. The Sacred Destiny Golden Sun Robe on his body billowed without wind, releasing red ripples that spread across the walls and gathered at the gaps around the door and windows and at the vents, sealing off the entire room.

[The delicate Sacred Destiny Golden Sun Robe (Affection 30) looked at you curiously:]

[It's been a long time since I've seen Mr. Yize take something this seriously. When I admired your exam paper last night, I knew you were extraordinary.]

"What could require our great Magister Yize to personally ward against divination?"

Fry had initially been relaxed, thinking it was just a little after-dinner gathering to discuss things like what help Xie Yu would need tomorrow. But seeing Yize's preparations and his face as solemn as if he were going to war, he immediately sensed something was wrong.

"You should remember the pendant in Xie Yu's hand," Yize said.

Fry glanced over and immediately laughed.

"I remember, of course I remember! Sealed Artifact 3-0771. Minister Yize, let me tell you, this kid's a genius when it comes to sealed artifacts. He can tell their numbers at a glance. Amazing! He even left Kaiming completely stunned yesterday..."

Yize had already learned that through divination. He interrupted:

"You didn't mention it last night or this morning. The only time you brought up sealed artifacts was when you said Xie Yu intended to apply to an academy related to them."

Fry's expression froze.

That was right. Why was he only mentioning it now?

It had made such a deep impression on him, and he remembered it so clearly. He hadn't forgotten it; every sight and sound was etched into his mind. Yet he had failed to report it entirely.

His mind had grown old, and he couldn't even remember things from within the past day.

After a moment's daze, he suddenly realized his own "offense":

"I... I didn't... Lord Yize, I absolutely didn't conceal it on purpose! There was no reason to hide it. I just, just didn't think of it. I thought you'd learn everything through divination."

He clearly remembered it, but it had not come to mind.

After watching Fry's embarrassment for a while, Yize patted him on the shoulder and reassured him:

"It's not your fault. This is an Abnormal State in the domain of fate, an obscurity inherent to that sealed artifact. It's not something you could resist."

Yize himself had been affected, so naturally he would not be hard on Fry.

It was just rare to see the efficient, quick-tongued Mr. Fry suddenly stammer.

He would take a serious moment to appreciate it.

"So that's what happened. I thought I'd gotten old and you were going to retire me."

Fry breathed a sigh of relief.

But before he could enjoy that relief, he saw Xie Yu pick up Kaiming's cane and walk over.

Using both hands, Xie Yu pressed the six rubies on the side of the cane's metal head. The exquisitely decorated metal cover quietly sprang open, revealing a crystal.

[Flame Gold-Melting Potion (Affection 0) said irritably:]

[Will this ever end? I really will explode!]

[Flame Gold-Melting Potion (Affection 0) sensed the presence of a fire-element mage, reined in its anger, and put on a different face:]

[Is someone going to drink me? Who's the lucky one? Hurry up and pry that damned cover open and get me out. I want a good look.]

Under the two mages' gazes, Xie Yu did not speak to the potion or explain anything. He simply took it out as a lead-in to the conversation to come.

Before he or Yize could speak, Mr. Fry's expression became a sight to behold.

"I confess! I confess to everything!"

"Lord Yize, if you're going to interrogate me, do it in private. It's not right to drag a child into this. I only promised Kaiming a public post, that's all. A tiny little matter. You know that, apart from being lacking in strength, Kaiming was generally trustworthy. Everything would have gone through the proper procedures before he took the post. I would never show favoritism."

"Look, I didn't even accept the gift Kaiming prepared for me, did I?"

Fry wiped the sweat from his forehead, thankful that Yize was discussing this with him in private.

He thought Xie Yu was going to report him.

It wasn't a particularly serious matter, and he had no guilty conscience, but it wouldn't stand up well to scrutiny. Even if he hadn't actually accepted the gift, their friendship as old classmates and their exchange of favors remained. Refusing a gift didn't mean there was no "collusion with local interests." That was a major focus of the kingdom's governance in recent years.

If it wasn't brought to light, no one would care. But if it were subjected to official scrutiny, it would be enough to make Fry retire.

"You say you promised Kaiming a public post."

Yize had caught the key point.

If everything Xie Yu had just said was true, and if Xie Yu hadn't been there, then this "public post for Kaiming" would have become a "public post for Wig Brown."

"You should remember. It was this year's proposal, the young mages' mental health supervisor. I thought Kaiming was quite suitable. He had a good reputation in Black Pine City too. He was a qualified candidate who would benefit society."

Fry explained, trying to extricate himself.

He didn't understand. They had clearly been talking about Sealed Artifact 3-0771, but then the subject had suddenly turned and caught him up in it.

This time, Xie Yu needed no explanation. Yize had already keenly guessed what he was thinking:

"You're suggesting the Brown Family was manipulating things behind this?"

He looked at Xie Yu, his gaze turning truly grave.

He could have listened to the earlier account of Wig Brown's death as a story, but everything involving Fry now was directly connected to his duties. He could not stay out of it.

He was the head of the Education Bureau's inspection division. The Education Bureau had no independent external oversight, and Yize's scope of inspection included not only the many local academies throughout Northern Plains Province, but the Education Bureau itself.

No one would really take Fry helping an old classmate seriously. As long as Kaiming was competent, they would turn a blind eye and let it pass.

And whether Wig Brown lived or died had little to do with Yize himself. The death of a teacher who had taught one of his classes decades ago had little effect on Yize. He had only paid attention because it involved Xie Yu.

But if the two matters were considered together...

It involved a noble family infiltrating the kingdom's grassroots governing institutions. There was no upper limit to how serious it could be.

"What?" Fry suspected he had misheard. For some reason, he felt as though the ceiling had gone dark and a mountain was bearing down on him. What did the Brown Family have to do with him?

Xie Yu nodded. "It's only a suspicion. Please investigate it with divination."

Seeing that Fry had confessed everything himself without needing him to explain further, Xie Yu immediately felt relieved.

[The loyal solid-wood cane (Affection 100) recalled:]

[Come to think of it, I think I also vaguely heard that he had something he wanted Kaiming to do. He probably meant that he would give Mr. Kaiming a position, and Mr. Kaiming would work for him.]

With Yize involved, Xie Yu said no more on that subject. Instead, he briefly explained Wig Brown's affair to Fry, telling him about Kaiming's death and how he had borrowed 3-0771 from Wig Brown last night.

Fry found it hard to believe and thought Xie Yu was making up a story to fool him.

But he glanced back at Yize, who was concentrating on his divination, and understood that this was no prank.

"Then why didn't you expose him with me yesterday? I'd have killed him to avenge Kaiming!"

He recalled "Kaiming" standing in the doorway, looking at Xie Yu as though he wanted to devour him. At the time, Fry had only thought Xie Yu had shocked "Kaiming" and had been too busy finding it amusing.

Looking back now, it meant something entirely different.

"I wasn't sure you could beat him and Sealed Artifact 3-0771 working together," Xie Yu said.

That was only the apparent reason. In reality, he also had to consider whether Fry was someone he could rely on, whether Fry would believe him, and whether Wig Brown had a way to win Fry over.

"You're underestimating me, kid."

After getting a general idea of what had happened, Fry instead breathed a sigh of relief. The blame for colluding with nobles had been far too great for him to bear.

"Still, those abilities in the field of sealed artifacts really are incredible."

He looked at the pendant lying obediently in Xie Yu's hand and found himself considering just how incredible everything Xie Yu had accomplished was.

Seeing through a sealed artifact's information at a glance, making a sealed artifact that had belonged to someone else completely his own within a day, and even using it to turn around and kill its former master... what kind of genius was he?

Could the sealed artifact researchers at those academies do that?

Fry was still pondering.

On the other side, Yize's divination had also reached a conclusion. He gently closed his eyes, whether because the divination magic had tired them or because he couldn't bear to see the expression on Mr. Fry's face:

"Xie Yu's suspicion is true. Fry, you've become involved in something serious."

Fry, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, immediately widened his eyes.

"That's impossible... that's impossible. I absolutely never did anything like that."

Yize said:

"I saw it. Forty days ago, at Mirror Lake City First Magic Academy, that man told you he needed your help promoting the 'focus potion' under his business at academies across Northern Plains Province. Afterward, he would give you ten percent of the profits. And so, this year, you thought of Kaiming."

Fry's face turned pale. He had never expected Yize's far-ranging divination to drift straight to this:

"No, no, that's not how it was. You must have made a mistake. That was a legitimate academy in our province, and a local potion industry in our province. They absolutely weren't nobles. They were genuinely contributing to our province. The profit wasn't for me, it was for the students in the various places, a discount..."

Yize interrupted his defense:

"I've already seen it. Before the major examination, the man who spoke with you approached fifteen Education Bureau employees, all members of grading teams going to the various cities. Fry, stop. This involves far more than just you."

"From the top down, there's you and the Education Bureau."

"And from the bottom up, Kaiming was affected as well."

Xie Yu was startled. He hadn't expected Kaiming to be involved in this too.

Yize walked over, took the potion held in white crystal from Xie Yu, and explained where it had come from:

"The original potion in this vial also came from the Brown Family. To push Kaiming into this position, they first used one of his clients to tell him that kingdom policy might change and that there might be an opportunity he could pursue. Then, through another client, they sold Kaiming this gift, which happened to be suitable for 'bribery,' at a low price he could afford. Kaiming was unaware of any of it."

Even Kaiming's desire for the "mental health inspector" position had been influenced.

Holding the Flame Gold-Melting Potion, Yize walked over to Fry.

"Fry, you should understand that if you had accepted this original potion then, there would have been no way for me to save you."

Accepting the potion would have been equivalent to Fry indirectly taking a bribe from the Brown Family, to letting Wig Brown enter public office under Kaiming's identity because of a bribe, and to establishing a direct connection between Fry's interests and Kaiming's death.

Fukai's face was deathly pale, but he had not completely despaired.

Fortunately, he had not accepted the gift. Everything was still in the state of "to be done, but not yet done." He probably would not be found guilty or actually punished. It was only that his position and the rest of his life were no longer secure, and a huge piece of leverage against him had been exposed.

When a worse possibility appeared before him, his present bad fate became less difficult to accept.

It was just a pity about Kaiming.

"The Brown Family is formidable in the fields of mind and soul. They control several industries, including potions, treatment, and education, but they haven't been this brazen in recent years."

Yize looked at Xie Yu, a trace of lingering fear in his eyes.

"I must thank you for this, and Fry must thank you too."

"If you hadn't brought it up and fought back, this might have happened quietly, without a sound. From here on, we should be on our guard."

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 was deeply shaken. Its little brain didn't really understand all this, but it had never imagined that such a powerful Magister would actually submit to you.]

[It had once thought you would abandon it. Though it trusted you and prayed that you could truly protect it, it had not known how that could happen.]

The nobles' reach was quite impressive.

The general textbook on mages said that the kingdom had been founded to make magic belong to everyone rather than remain the exclusive preserve of nobles, and to abolish noble privileges.

It seemed there were still some subtle differences between reality and the book.

What followed seemed to require no further intervention from Xie Yu. Yize left with Fry, heading to Black Pine City Forest Magic Academy and Kaiming's clinic to establish the final truth. He also had to deal with the matter alongside his other colleagues at the Education Bureau.

Before leaving, Yize told Xie Yu only that his name might appear in the provincial newspapers tomorrow.

Yize had been busy organizing everything today, yet now he had only that simple warning for Xie Yu, without explaining how he should prepare. Because Xie Yu had displayed a talent for sealed artifacts, many issues that would have been cause for concern were no longer worth worrying about. Yize's doubts about Xie Yu, prompted by the suspicious perfect score, had also faded.

Then they hurried away.

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 finally breathed a sigh of relief:]

[If I'd known he was on our side, I would have told him sooner.]

Xie Yu looked in the direction the two important figures from the Education Bureau had gone and smiled.

"I took the initiative to kill Wig Brown instead of reporting him to an upright, kindhearted Magister like that beforehand. I actually considered that too."

[Huh? If you considered it, why didn't you tell him sooner?]

Xie Yu patted the Fate-Substitution Talisman Doll on the head and sighed.

"He wouldn't have helped me or you, much less killed Wig Brown."

"If I'd gone straight to Yize without making Wig's death a foregone conclusion, believe it or not, he wouldn't have done anything. He'd only have kept the bigger picture in mind and 'stayed on guard.' That would have helped Wig Brown live much longer... Do you think they care much about Kaiming's death?"

"Only someone as willful as me cares so much about this little bit of justice."

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 was stunned. It too looked toward the two who had just left, and after thinking it over, it felt that everything you said was right.]

[People in this world were different from one another after all. A sadness it had never felt before welled up in its heart, inexplicably moistening its eyes and giving it a new perspective on everything in the world:]

[Only you care about this little bit of justice...]

[It looked back on its wretched past and remembered that when it killed Wig Brown, it really did seem to have faintly felt something called justice. It understood why you were so insistent on "not eating others"... It realized that, in the end, only you were truly helping it.]

[It was willing to follow you for life. This seemed to exceed what affection could explain.]

[Congratulations. Sealed Artifact 3-0771's Faith in you has risen to 100.]