r18novel Page 224
Page 224
"However, after a moment's thought, Lady Oriana told me that if I wanted to study this matter, I needed to reach the legendary level first."
"Is that so?" Latis used his ruthless iron hand to roll up a piece of steak, ate it in one bite, then wiped his hands on a napkin and asked:
"So, would you like to research these things?"
"Huh?" Frico paused, picked up a teaspoon and stirred the milk tea in her cup. After a moment of silence, she smiled helplessly:
"I thought you would ask me when I could advance to Legendary rank or what I've been researching these days."
Latis laughed. It wasn't that he wasn't curious about these things, but having exploited Frico for so long in the simulation, he knew what kind of life Frico longed for.
Although he now jokingly calls Frico a working-class slave under his mage's command, he actually quite enjoys watching Miss Frico, wearing unbreakable stockings, idly tending to the flower field when she has nothing else to do.
...No, it was a careful study of the thorns on the flower branches and the collision of the unbreakable stockings; even Latis was thrilled by such a subtle struggle.
"Lady Frico, just be yourself."
Latis recalled his past life as a corporate slave and said with some empathy:
"Feeding horses, chopping wood, traveling the world, haha, since I've decided to start living an easy life, I don't need to carry too much responsibility on my shoulders... Don't worry, it's okay, I'll take care of it."
Frico sighed helplessly, looking at the small boss in front of her whose mage level was half that of hers. For some reason, she could hear a reassuring warmth in his words.
"I understand," she muttered softly, then, as if relieved of some worry, she leaned back in her chair, took a sip of her tea, and said with a smile:
"Even so, people still need to find something to do. When you get old, if you're idle all day, your body will feel lazy."
Latis couldn't help but laugh, picked up the juice on the table, drank it all in one gulp, stood up, and said:
"What do you mean by old age! Thirty is the age to strive, thirty is the prime of youth! I don't think you understand the charm of a mature woman at all!"
"what?"
Frico felt a slight warmth in her ears. She thought for a moment, then stood up and called to Latis, who was about to leave, "..."
"Boss, how about I treat you to dinner tonight?"
"Really? Will it be reimbursed?" Latis took two steps closer and asked warily.
"?"
Frico was stunned; her previous sentimentality vanished instantly. She clenched her fists and said through gritted teeth:
"I...I'll treat..."
"Very well!" Latis was overjoyed and turned to leave happily.
Frico slowly sat back on the sofa, looked at Latis's ruthless back, and suddenly laughed out loud.
"Boss, being with you is such a relaxing experience!"
With a warm smile, she picked up her dessert spoon, intending to enjoy her little cake. However, when she looked down, she discovered that the cake was now only half there, and the broken edges betrayed the culprit.
"Aaaaaah! La! Tis!!"
"Freak!" Frico hissed in frustration. She gritted her teeth in annoyance, took a deep breath, remained silent for a moment, and then laughed again.
"What an annoying boss..."
She thought for a moment, put down the dessert spoon, picked up the remaining half of the small cake with her hand, and took a small bite.
"Oh! It's so sweet!"
Frico couldn't help but squint her eyes and enjoy the moment.
……
……
The legendary mage Orianna never appeared in the simulation...
Latis stood at the entrance of the Mage Guild, gazing at the ostentatious decor, and silently pondered:
"In the world of Fureco, Orianna is a very trustworthy and legendary mage... but that's understandable. Of all the human mages I know, besides her ex-husband Gorekmor, Orianna is the longest-lived. The fact that no scandals about her have circulated among mages during such a long life is enough to prove that she's at least not a bad person."
Now that Artemis and Frico have both met her, I need to meet her too, so I can get a basic impression of her...
He approached the gate of the Dharma Association and said to the receptionist, who was unusually relaxed:
"Please arrange an audience for me with the legendary mage, Lady Oriana. Tell her I am an apprentice of Lady Ateliers Herod."
……
……
A sheer, translucent curtain floated slightly, its magic swirling around it. Latis glanced at the deep red interior, its classical and mysterious ambiance captivating him. Though he didn't appreciate it, the magical sheen, a symbol of wealth, still created a thick barrier around him. He shook his head and, through the curtain, performed a mage's salute, saying:
Greetings, Your Excellency Orianna.
A faint shadow fell on the curtain, and Orianna's slightly curious voice came from inside:
"You said you are Artemis Herold's apprentice?"
“Yes, my name is Latis.” Latis nodded.
“Oh, so your name is Latis…” Orianna’s voice suddenly turned strange.
"Ah? Have you ever heard of me before?" Latis asked, puzzled.
Orianna reclined on the chaise lounge by the window, the image of the half-elf's blissful and serene expression when he last described himself as a "Latissian" suddenly flashing through her mind. She frowned, shook her head, and asked:
"I once heard your mentor mention that she was quite satisfied with you."
"Haha, not at all." Latis scratched his head a little embarrassedly upon hearing this, and said with a smile, "She is also the most important person in my life."
"...?" Orianna's brow twitched suddenly, inwardly cursing herself for bringing it up. Her face tense, she changed the subject and asked:
"So, Lord Latis, is there anything I can help you with during your visit?"
"Is such that."
Latis organized his thoughts and said:
“In our Herod Mage territory, there is a friend or relative named Frico who has heard that you have taken good care of him these days. My mentor was away the other day, so I thought I should express my gratitude for your previous visit.”
“Oh, Frico,” Orianna said gently.
“I had a past relationship with her mentor, so it’s only natural for me to help her out. There’s no need to be overly polite.”
She thought for a moment, then continued:
"Before, due to some personal reasons of her mentor, she developed a mental block about the path to legend. Although she seems to have stopped worrying about these things these past few days, she has not yet regained her passion for magic."
“As an apprentice of an old friend, I should pay more attention to Frico, but I am unable to offer her any advice on these matters. Now that she is staying in the territory of Mage Herod, I hope you will treat her well, and I will reward you accordingly.”
"Please do not worry, Your Excellency."
Latis, remembering the half-eaten cake he had just stolen, couldn't help but smile and said:
"Lady Frico spends her days tending flowers and reading under the guidance of the mage, and half a day tending the shop and half a day resting. I think she is quite happy with her current life."
He thought for a moment, then felt he couldn't quite put it that way, making it sound like indulging in frivolous pursuits wasting his life, so he continued:
"I heard that Lady Frico began to devote herself to magical research from a young age, and she did not stop until her mentor went to the stars. After her mentor left, Lady Frico's research could not be sustained alone, and she spent a very long time in constant setbacks."
Latis recalled his previous simulation experience and his decades-long period of asceticism within the Church of the Goddess, and couldn't help but say with emotion:
“I have always believed that life is also a part of cultivation. Lady Frico has lacked this part of cultivation since childhood, so it is not unreasonable to let her make up for it now. It is said that she is a genius researcher of the previous generation, so she will naturally find her next path quickly.”
"..."
Orianna paused for a moment, then spoke:
“What you said makes sense. Maybe I’m just looking at her from the perspective of an elder, so I’m still a bit biased.”
She sighed. She had only intended to have a business-like conversation with Latis, but she couldn't help but feel a little emotional when the topic came up.
"This kid has a good personality, and his mentor is that elf, so it's definitely worth considering recruiting him... but let's wait until he advances to a higher rank."
Orianna reached out and gently waved her hand, and the treasures in the interdimensional gap appeared before her like a thumbnail. Her gaze swept over the treasures, she randomly selected one, and stood up.
"Alright, if there's nothing else, let's end this conversation here. Please take care, and I will give you a gift as a token of my gratitude."
"Oh, there's no need for that. I didn't do anything..."
Latis said this, but he was still a little curious about what such a generous and legendary mage would give as a gift.
"Damn it, I feel like a brat who tears open his pockets during Chinese New Year and tells his elders he doesn't want a red envelope. I'm so frustrated..."
He shook his head, and the translucent curtain in front of him suddenly opened to both sides, revealing a tall, casually dressed female mage behind it. She held a thick book and spoke gently:
"This is a 'knowledge handbook' I made years ago, recording all the plants, monsters, and related information I've encountered in my life. Also, because it's somewhat modeled after the magic network, some predictions about the production of selected materials may not be accurate. You can verify and modify it yourself."
Orianna stepped forward, handing over the book as she said:
"This is one of the three copies of the original manual. Although it is only a copy, it is still very valuable. I hope that Lord Herod, Lord Frico, and Lord Latis will all make good use of it... Hmm?"
Latis's smile froze, and his hand, which was reaching for the book, stopped abruptly.
In his perception, a powerful magical force instantly surged into his personal magical network, which he habitually maintained close to his body, and swept across his body before he could fully control it.
"What?" Latis was shocked, and his magic power surged out, instantly putting him into battle mode.
However, just as he reached out to cast a spell, Orianna's expression suddenly turned to shock. Her magic suddenly erupted, freezing everything in the room, which was about to become chaotic, in mid-air.
She took a deep breath, studied Latis's appearance for a moment, and suddenly asked:
"Is your last name Titania?"
Chapter 233 Even Latis Gets Fed One Day
Radist's eyes widened instantly. A strange, inexplicable feeling made him stop in his tracks. He couldn't tell whether Orianna was friend or foe, so after a moment's hesitation, he asked:
"Sir, what do you mean by asking this question?"
Orianna sighed as she looked at Latis's cautious expression, turned around and took two steps, leaving some distance between them.
With a surge of magic, she sent all the objects back to their original positions. She patted the book in her palm, paced back and forth a few times, and looked at Latis, saying:
"Your surname is Titania."
Faced with such a certain tone, Latis couldn't bring himself to lie and deny it, so he could only nod helplessly.
Orianna, her face ashen, silently walked back to the inner room, brushed aside the overlapping jeweled curtains hanging from the ceiling, and went to a suspended crystal ball.
She extended her slender fingers and flicked the crystal ball. After spinning a few times, the crystal ball displayed a miniature map of the Atlantic continent.